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愛

愛 — love, affection, favourite

Learn the correct stroke order for 愛 (love), a 13-stroke kanji.

JLPT N3Grade 413 strokes

Stroke Order

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Stroke 0 / 13
On'yomi (音読み)アイai
Kun'yomi (訓読み)いと.しいitoshii、かな.しいkanashii、め.でるmederu、お.しむoshimu、まなmana
Strokes13
Radical心
Frequency#640
Meaningslove, affection, favourite

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 13 — start from the green dot

Common Words

愛犬あいけんpet dog; beloved dognoun
愛護あいごprotection; tender carenoun
愛好あいこうlove; adoration; being fond ofnoun
愛国あいこくlove of one's country; patriotismnoun
愛称あいしょうpet name; nickname; affectionate namenoun
愛情あいじょうlove; affectionnoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 愛 (love) is taught in grade 4 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N3 level. It has 13 strokes with radical 心.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 愛 is #640, making it a frequently used kanji.

Example Words in Context

愛犬あいけん — pet dog; beloved dog
愛護あいご — protection; tender care
愛好あいこう — love; adoration; being fond of

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 愛 have?

The kanji 愛 (love) has 13 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 愛?

愛 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 愛 mean?

愛 means: love, affection, favourite. On'yomi readings: アイ. Kun'yomi readings: いと.しい, かな.しい, め.でる, お.しむ, まな.

What JLPT level is 愛?

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