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断

断 — severance, decline, refuse

Learn the correct stroke order for 断 (severance), a 11-stroke kanji.

JLPT N3Grade 511 strokes

Stroke Order

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Stroke 0 / 11
On'yomi (音読み)ダンdan
Kun'yomi (訓読み)た.つtatsu、ことわ.るkotowaru、さだ.めるsadameru
Strokes11
Radical斤
Frequency#338
Meaningsseverance, decline, refuse, apologize, warn, dismiss, prohibit, decision, judgement, cutting

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 11 — start from the green dot

Common Words

横断おうだんcrossing (a road, river, etc.); cutting through (e.g. of a river through a town); cutting acrossnoun
決断けつだんdecision; determinationnoun
遮断しゃだんisolation; cut off; blockadenoun
縦断じゅうだんrunning through (north-south); cutting across; travelling acrossnoun
診断しんだんdiagnosis; medical examinationnoun
寸断すんだんcutting to pieces; tearing to piecesnoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 断 (severance) is taught in grade 5 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N3 level. It has 11 strokes with radical 斤.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 断 is #338, making it one of the most commonly used kanji.

Example Words in Context

横断おうだん — crossing (a road, river, etc.); cutting through (e.g. of a river through a town); cutting across
決断けつだん — decision; determination
遮断しゃだん — isolation; cut off; blockade

Practice Sheet

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

Related Kanji

Same radical (斤)

斤axe斥reject斬beheading新new

Same reading

談discuss段grade

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 断 have?

The kanji 断 (severance) has 11 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 断?

断 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 断 mean?

断 means: severance, decline, refuse, apologize, warn, dismiss, prohibit, decision, judgement, cutting. On'yomi readings: ダン. Kun'yomi readings: た.つ, ことわ.る, さだ.める.

What JLPT level is 断?

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