How to Write 髪 (hair of the head) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 14-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 髪 (“hair of the head”), indexed under the 髟 (かみがしら (long hair)) radical. Practice 髪 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 髪 (かみ (kami) — hair of the head).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (髪)
Primary Radical (部首): 髟 — かみがしら (long hair)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 髟
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N3). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ハツ) when 髪 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (かみ) when 髪 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (14画): At 14 strokes, 髪 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 髟 (かみがしら (long hair)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 14 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 髟 (かみがしら (long hair))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 14 strokes under radical 髟.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 髪
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 髪 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 髪 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 髪 ("hair of the head") is written with 14 strokes (14画) as a JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) high-density multi-component Kanji (12+ strokes) indexed under the 髟 (かみがしら (long hair)) radical. At 14 strokes, 髪 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 髟 (かみがしら (long hair)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 14 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 髪?
For 髪 (JLPT N3), the Onyomi is ハツ and the Kunyomi is かみ. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ハツ) when 髪 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (かみ) when 髪 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 髪 includes 髪 (かみ (kami) — hair of the head).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 髪 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 14 strokes of 髪 (hair of the head), start with the 髟 (かみがしら (long hair)) in the Standalone / Integrated (部首) 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 髪 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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