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乏

乏 — destitution, scarce, limited

Learn the correct stroke order for 乏 (destitution), a 4-stroke kanji.

JLPT N1Secondary school4 strokes

Stroke Order

1234
Stroke 0 / 4
On'yomi (音読み)ボウbou
Kun'yomi (訓読み)とぼ.しいtoboshii、とも.しいtomoshii
Strokes4
Radical丿
Frequency#1646
Meaningsdestitution, scarce, limited

Step-by-Step Diagram

1
2
3
4

Try Writing It

Practice writing each stroke in the correct order and direction. Start from the green dot.

Draw stroke 1 of 4 — start from the green dot

Common Words

窮乏きゅうぼうpoverty; destitution; privationnoun
欠乏けつぼうdeficiency; insufficiency; shortagenoun
貧乏びんぼうpoverty-stricken; destitute; poorna-adjective
貧乏人びんぼうにんpoor person; the poornoun
乏しいとぼしいmeagre; meager; scarcei-adjective

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 乏 (destitution) is part of the secondary school kanji set and appears at JLPT N1 level. It has 4 strokes with radical 丿.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 乏 is #1646, making it a moderately common kanji.

Example Words in Context

窮乏きゅうぼう — poverty; destitution; privation
欠乏けつぼう — deficiency; insufficiency; shortage
貧乏びんぼう — poverty-stricken; destitute; poor

Practice Sheet

Trace then write on your own. Print this row as a PDF practice sheet.

Related Kanji

Same radical (丿)

久long time乗ride

Same reading

房tassel膨swell冒risk謀conspire妨disturb矛halberd傍bystander霧fog

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 乏 have?

The kanji 乏 (destitution) has 4 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 乏?

乏 follows the standard Japanese stroke order as taught in schools. Use the step-by-step diagram or the "Try Writing" tool above to practice each stroke in sequence.

What does 乏 mean?

乏 means: destitution, scarce, limited. On'yomi readings: ボウ. Kun'yomi readings: とぼ.しい, とも.しい.

What JLPT level is 乏?

乏 is a JLPT N1 kanji. This is an advanced kanji.