How to Write 魚 (fish) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 11-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N5 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 2 (小学2年生)) character 魚 (“fish”), indexed under the 魚 (うお (fish)) radical. Practice 魚 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 魚 (さかな (sakana) — fish), 金魚 (きんぎょ (kingyo) — goldfish).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (魚)
Primary Radical (部首): 魚 — うお (fish)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 魚
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 2 (小学2年生) (JLPT N5). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ギョ) when 魚 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (さかな, うお) when 魚 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (11画): Written with 11 strokes, 魚 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 魚 (うお (fish)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 魚 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 9 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 魚 (うお (fish))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 11 strokes under radical 魚.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 魚
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 魚 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 魚 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 魚 ("fish") is written with 11 strokes (11画) as a JLPT N5 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 2 (小学2年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 魚 (うお (fish)) radical. Written with 11 strokes, 魚 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 魚 (うお (fish)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 魚 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 9 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 魚?
For 魚 (JLPT N5), the Onyomi is ギョ and the Kunyomi is さかな, うお. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ギョ) when 魚 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (さかな, うお) when 魚 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 魚 includes 魚 (さかな (sakana) — fish), 金魚 (きんぎょ (kingyo) — goldfish).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 魚 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 11 strokes of 魚 (fish), start with the 魚 (うお (fish)) 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 魚 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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