古

古 — old

Learn the correct stroke order for 古 (old), a 5-stroke kanji.

JLPT N4Grade 25 strokes

Stroke Order

Stroke 0 / 5

On'yomi (音読み)コko

Kun'yomi (訓読み)ふる.いfurui、ふる-furu、-ふる.すfurusu

Strokes5

Radical口

Frequency#509

Meaningsold

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 5 — start from the green dot

Common Words

稽古けいこpractice; practising; trainingnoun

古いふるいold; aged; ancienti-adjective

古語こごarchaic word; obsolete word; archaismnoun

古今ここんancient and modern times; all ages; past and presentnoun

古参こさんsenior; veteran; old-timernoun

古書こしょold book; rare book; classicnoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 古 (old) is taught in grade 2 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N4 level. It has 5 strokes with radical 口.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 古 is #509, making it a frequently used kanji.

Example Words in Context

稽古けいこ — practice; practising; training

古いふるい — old; aged; ancient

古語こご — archaic word; obsolete word; archaism

Practice Sheet

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

Related Kanji

Same radical (口)

口mouth 台pedestal 可can 史history 号nickname 右right 司director 句phrase

Same reading

去gone

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 古 have?

The kanji 古 (old) has 5 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 古?

古 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 古 mean?

古 means: old. On'yomi readings: コ. Kun'yomi readings: ふる.い, ふる-, -ふる.す.

What JLPT level is 古?

古 is a JLPT N4 kanji. This is a beginner-level kanji.