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影

影 — shadow, silhouette, phantom

Learn the correct stroke order for 影 (shadow), a 15-stroke kanji.

JLPT N1Secondary school15 strokes

Stroke Order

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Stroke 0 / 15
On'yomi (音読み)エイei
Kun'yomi (訓読み)かげkage
Strokes15
Radical彡
Frequency#464
Meaningsshadow, silhouette, phantom

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 15 — start from the green dot

Common Words

遺影いえいportrait of a deceased personnoun
影絵かげえshadow picture; silhouette; shadowgraphnoun
影響えいきょうinfluence; effect; impactnoun
幻影げんえいphantom; vision; illusionnoun
撮影さつえいphotography (still or motion); photographing; filmingnoun
投影とうえいprojection (of a shadow); casting (a reflection); reflectionnoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 影 (shadow) is part of the secondary school kanji set and appears at JLPT N1 level. It has 15 strokes with radical 彡.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 影 is #464, making it one of the most commonly used kanji.

Example Words in Context

遺影いえい — portrait of a deceased person
影絵かげえ — shadow picture; silhouette; shadowgraph
影響えいきょう — influence; effect; impact

Practice Sheet

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

Related Kanji

Same radical (彡)

形shape彩coloring彫carve彰patent

Same reading

衛defense詠recitation

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 影 have?

The kanji 影 (shadow) has 15 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 影?

影 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 影 mean?

影 means: shadow, silhouette, phantom. On'yomi readings: エイ. Kun'yomi readings: かげ.

What JLPT level is 影?

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