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息

息 — breath, respiration, son

Learn the correct stroke order for 息 (breath), a 10-stroke kanji.

JLPT N3Grade 310 strokes

Stroke Order

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Stroke 0 / 10
On'yomi (音読み)ソクsoku
Kun'yomi (訓読み)いきiki
Strokes10
Radical心
Frequency#882
Meaningsbreath, respiration, son, interest (on money), rest, coming to an end

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 10 — start from the green dot

Common Words

一息ひといきone breathnoun
休息きゅうそくrest; relief; relaxationnoun
子息しそく(another's) sonnoun
終息しゅうそくcessation; (coming to an) endnoun
消息しょうそくnews (from someone); letter; contactnoun
寝息ねいきbreathing of a sleeping personnoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 息 (breath) is taught in grade 3 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N3 level. It has 10 strokes with radical 心.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 息 is #882, making it a frequently used kanji.

Example Words in Context

一息ひといき — one breath
休息きゅうそく — rest; relief; relaxation
子息しそく — (another's) son

Practice Sheet

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

Related Kanji

Same radical (心)

心heart必invariably忙busy応apply志intention快cheerful忘forget忍endure

Same reading

数number側side職post速quick束bundle

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 息 have?

The kanji 息 (breath) has 10 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 息?

息 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 息 mean?

息 means: breath, respiration, son, interest (on money), rest, coming to an end. On'yomi readings: ソク. Kun'yomi readings: いき.

What JLPT level is 息?

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