必

必 — invariably, certain, inevitable

Learn the correct stroke order for 必 (invariably), a 5-stroke kanji.

JLPT N3Grade 45 strokes

Stroke Order

Stroke 0 / 5

On'yomi (音読み)ヒツhitsu

Kun'yomi (訓読み)かなら.ずkanarazu

Strokes5

Radical心

Frequency#265

Meaningsinvariably, certain, inevitable

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

必ずかならずalways; without exception; necessarilyadverb

必携ひっけいindispensable; essential; must-havenoun

必見ひっけんmust-see; not-to-be-missednoun

必需ひつじゅnecessarynoun

必修ひっしゅうrequired (subject)noun

必勝ひっしょうcertain victorynoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 必 (invariably) is taught in grade 4 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N3 level. It has 5 strokes with radical 心.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 必 is #265, making it one of the most commonly used kanji.

Example Words in Context

必ずかならず — always; without exception; necessarily

必携ひっけい — indispensable; essential; must-have

必見ひっけん — must-see; not-to-be-missed

Practice Sheet

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

Related Kanji

Same radical (心)

心heart 忙busy 応apply 志intention 快cheerful 忘forget 忍endure 忌mourning

Same reading

払pay

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 必 have?

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

What is the correct stroke order for 必?

必 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 必 mean?

必 means: invariably, certain, inevitable. On'yomi readings: ヒツ. Kun'yomi readings: かなら.ず.

What JLPT level is 必?

必 is a JLPT N3 kanji. This is an intermediate kanji.