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哀

哀 — pathetic, grief, sorrow

Learn the correct stroke order for 哀 (pathetic), a 9-stroke kanji.

JLPT N1Secondary school9 strokes

Stroke Order

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Stroke 0 / 9
On'yomi (音読み)アイai
Kun'yomi (訓読み)あわ.れaware、あわ.れむawaremu、かな.しいkanashii
Strokes9
Radical口
Frequency#1715
Meaningspathetic, grief, sorrow, pathos, pity, sympathize

Step-by-Step Diagram

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Try Writing It

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

Draw stroke 1 of 9 — start from the green dot

Common Words

哀れあわれpity; sorrow; griefnoun
哀愁あいしゅうpathos; sorrow; griefnoun
哀悼あいとうcondolence; regret; tributenoun
悲哀ひあいsorrow; grief; sadnessnoun
哀れむあわれむto pity; to feel sympathy for; to sympathize withverb
可哀想かわいそうpoor; pitiable; patheticna-adjective

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 哀 (pathetic) is part of the secondary school kanji set and appears at JLPT N1 level. It has 9 strokes with radical 口.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 哀 is #1715, making it a moderately common kanji.

Example Words in Context

哀れあわれ — pity; sorrow; grief
哀愁あいしゅう — pathos; sorrow; grief
哀悼あいとう — condolence; regret; tribute

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古old史history号nickname右right司director

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 哀 have?

The kanji 哀 (pathetic) has 9 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 哀?

哀 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 哀 mean?

哀 means: pathetic, grief, sorrow, pathos, pity, sympathize. On'yomi readings: アイ. Kun'yomi readings: あわ.れ, あわ.れむ, かな.しい.

What JLPT level is 哀?

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