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善

善 — virtuous, good, goodness

Learn the correct stroke order for 善 (virtuous), a 12-stroke kanji.

JLPT N1Grade 612 strokes

Stroke Order

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Stroke 0 / 12
On'yomi (音読み)ゼンzen
Kun'yomi (訓読み)よ.いyoi、い.いii、よ.くyoku、よし.とするyoshitosuru
Strokes12
Radical口
Frequency#765
Meaningsvirtuous, good, goodness

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 12 — start from the green dot

Common Words

改善かいぜんbetterment; improvementnoun
最善さいぜんthe very best; utmostnoun
慈善じぜんcharity; benevolence; philanthropynoun
親善しんぜんfriendship; goodwill; friendly relationsnoun
善悪ぜんあくright and wrong; good and evilnoun
善意ぜんいvirtuous mindnoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 善 (virtuous) is taught in grade 6 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N1 level. It has 12 strokes with radical 口.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 善 is #765, making it a frequently used kanji.

Example Words in Context

改善かいぜん — betterment; improvement
最善さいぜん — the very best; utmost
慈善じぜん — charity; benevolence; philanthropy

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

Same reading

銭coin禅Zen漸steadily繕darning

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 善 have?

The kanji 善 (virtuous) has 12 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 善?

善 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 善 mean?

善 means: virtuous, good, goodness. On'yomi readings: ゼン. Kun'yomi readings: よ.い, い.い, よ.く, よし.とする.

What JLPT level is 善?

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