How to Write 飯 (meal, boiled rice) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 12-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N4 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 4 (小学4年生)) character 飯 (“meal, boiled rice”), indexed under the 食 (しょく / しょくへん (eat/food)) radical. Practice 飯 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 飯 (めし (meshi) — meal).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (飯)
Primary Radical (部首): 食 — しょく / しょくへん (eat/food)
Radical Position: Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen))
Semantic Theme: Food, meals, eating, dining, and cuisine
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 4 (小学4年生) (JLPT N4). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ハン) when 飯 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (めし) when 飯 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (12画): At 12 strokes, 飯 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 食 (しょく / しょくへん (eat/food)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 12 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
食 (meaning) + 反 (sound ハン)
Derived from the meaning radical 食 (しょく / しょくへん (eat/food)) and the phonetic component 反, giving the on-reading ハン.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 飯
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 飯 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 飯 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 飯 ("meal, boiled rice") is written with 12 strokes (12画) as a JLPT N4 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 4 (小学4年生)) high-density multi-component Kanji (12+ strokes) indexed under the 食 (しょく / しょくへん (eat/food)) radical. At 12 strokes, 飯 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 食 (しょく / しょくへん (eat/food)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) 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 飯?
For 飯 (JLPT N4), the Onyomi is ハン and the Kunyomi is めし. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ハン) when 飯 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (めし) when 飯 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 飯 includes 飯 (めし (meshi) — meal).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 飯 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 12 strokes of 飯 (meal, boiled rice), start with the 食 (しょく / しょくへん (eat/food)) in the Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen)) 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 飯 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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