How to Write 須 (ought, by all means, necessarily) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 12-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 須 (“ought, by all means, necessarily”), indexed under the 頁 (おおがい (head/page)) radical. Practice 須 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 須く (すべからく (subekaraku) — ought), 須 (すべし (subeshi) — ought).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (須)
Primary Radical (部首): 頁 — おおがい (head/page)
Radical Position: Right (Tsukuri / 旁) (旁 (Tsukuri))
Semantic Theme: Head, face, forehead, titles, and reading pages
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ス, シュ) when 須 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (すべから.く, すべし, ひげ, まつ, もち.いる, もと.める) when 須 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (12画): At 12 strokes, 須 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 頁 (おおがい (head/page)) radical (Right (Tsukuri / 旁) position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 12 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 頁 (おおがい (head/page))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 12 strokes under radical 頁.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 須
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 須 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 須 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 須 ("ought, by all means, necessarily") is written with 12 strokes (12画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) high-density multi-component Kanji (12+ strokes) indexed under the 頁 (おおがい (head/page)) radical. At 12 strokes, 須 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 頁 (おおがい (head/page)) radical (Right (Tsukuri / 旁) position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 12 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 須?
For 須 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is ス, シュ and the Kunyomi is すべから.く, すべし, ひげ, まつ, もち.いる, もと.める. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ス, シュ) when 須 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (すべから.く, すべし, ひげ, まつ, もち.いる, もと.める) when 須 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 須 includes 須く (すべからく (subekaraku) — ought), 須 (すべし (subeshi) — ought).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 須 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 12 strokes of 須 (ought, by all means, necessarily), start with the 頁 (おおがい (head/page)) in the Right (Tsukuri / 旁) (旁 (Tsukuri)) position and follow standard Japanese Hitsujun (筆順) principles: top to bottom (上から下) and left to right (左から右). Practice 須 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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