刺

刺 — thorn, pierce, stab

Learn the correct stroke order for 刺 (thorn), a 8-stroke kanji.

JLPT N2Secondary school8 strokes

Stroke Order

Stroke 0 / 8

On'yomi (音読み)シshi

Kun'yomi (訓読み)さ.すsasu、さ.さるsasaru、さ.しsashi、さしsashi、とげtoge

Strokes8

Radical刀

Frequency#1031

Meaningsthorn, pierce, stab, prick, sting, calling card

Step-by-Step Diagram

Try Writing It

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

Draw stroke 1 of 8 — start from the green dot

Common Words

刺しさしgrain thief; sharpened tube for testing rice in bagsnoun

刺すさすto pierce; to stab; to prickverb

刺身さしみsashimi (raw sliced fish, shellfish or crustaceans)noun

風刺ふうしsatire; irony; sarcasmnoun

名刺めいしbusiness cardnoun

刺激しげきstimulus; stimulation; irritation (esp. of the body, e.g. skin, eyes)noun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 刺 (thorn) is part of the secondary school kanji set and appears at JLPT N2 level. It has 8 strokes with radical 刀.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 刺 is #1031, making it a moderately common kanji.

Example Words in Context

刺しさし — grain thief; sharpened tube for testing rice in bags

刺すさす — to pierce; to stab; to prick

刺身さしみ — sashimi (raw sliced fish, shellfish or crustaceans)

Practice Sheet

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

Related Kanji

Same radical (刀)

刀sword 刃blade 分part 切cut 刈reap 刊publish 刑punish 列file

Same reading

史history 誌document 枝bough 糸thread 脂fat 詞part of speech 伺pay respects

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 刺 have?

The kanji 刺 (thorn) has 8 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 刺?

刺 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 刺 mean?

刺 means: thorn, pierce, stab, prick, sting, calling card. On'yomi readings: シ. Kun'yomi readings: さ.す, さ.さる, さ.し, さし, とげ.

What JLPT level is 刺?

刺 is a JLPT N2 kanji. This is an advanced kanji.