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弟

弟 — younger brother, faithful service to elders

Learn the correct stroke order for 弟 (younger brother), a 7-stroke kanji.

JLPT N4Grade 27 strokes

Stroke Order

1234567
Stroke 0 / 7
On'yomi (音読み)テイtei、ダイdai、デde
Kun'yomi (訓読み)おとうとotouto
Strokes7
Radical弓
Frequency#1161
Meaningsyounger brother, faithful service to elders

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 7 — start from the green dot

Common Words

義弟ぎていbrother-in-law (spouse's younger brother or younger sister's husband)noun
兄弟きょうだいbrothers and sisters; siblingsnoun
子弟していchildren; sons; children and younger brothersnoun
師弟していteacher and studentnoun
弟妹ていまいyounger brother and sisternoun
弟子でしpupil; disciple; adherentnoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 弟 (younger brother) is taught in grade 2 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N4 level. It has 7 strokes with radical 弓.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 弟 is #1161, making it a moderately common kanji.

Example Words in Context

義弟ぎてい — brother-in-law (spouse's younger brother or younger sister's husband)
兄弟きょうだい — brothers and sisters; siblings
子弟してい — children; sons; children and younger brothers

Practice Sheet

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

Related Kanji

Same radical (弓)

弓bow引pull弔condolences弥all the more弦bowstring弧arc弱weak強strong

Same reading

代substitute体body題topic台pedestal

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 弟 have?

The kanji 弟 (younger brother) has 7 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 弟?

弟 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 弟 mean?

弟 means: younger brother, faithful service to elders. On'yomi readings: テイ, ダイ, デ. Kun'yomi readings: おとうと.

What JLPT level is 弟?

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