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掌

掌 — palm of hand, rule, administer

Learn the correct stroke order for 掌 (palm of hand), a 12-stroke kanji.

JLPT N1Secondary school12 strokes

Stroke Order

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Stroke 0 / 12
On'yomi (音読み)ショウshou
Kun'yomi (訓読み)てのひらtenohira、たなごころtanagokoro
Strokes12
Radical手
Frequency#1757
Meaningspalm of hand, rule, administer, conduct

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 12 — start from the green dot

Common Words

合掌がっしょうpressing one's hands together in prayernoun
車掌しゃしょう(train) conductornoun
掌握しょうあくgrasping; seizing; holdingnoun
掌中しょうちゅうin the hand; (something) easily manipulatednoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 掌 (palm of hand) is part of the secondary school kanji set and appears at JLPT N1 level. It has 12 strokes with radical 手.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 掌 is #1757, making it a moderately common kanji.

Example Words in Context

合掌がっしょう — pressing one's hands together in prayer
車掌しゃしょう — (train) conductor
掌握しょうあく — grasping; seizing; holding

Practice Sheet

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

Related Kanji

Same radical (手)

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Same reading

証evidence井well松pine tree渉ford請solicit従accompany昭shining創genesis

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 掌 have?

The kanji 掌 (palm of hand) has 12 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 掌?

掌 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 掌 mean?

掌 means: palm of hand, rule, administer, conduct. On'yomi readings: ショウ. Kun'yomi readings: てのひら, たなごころ.

What JLPT level is 掌?

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