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海

海 — sea, ocean

Learn the correct stroke order for 海 (sea), a 9-stroke kanji.

JLPT N4Grade 29 strokes

Stroke Order

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Stroke 0 / 9
On'yomi (音読み)カイkai
Kun'yomi (訓読み)うみumi
Strokes9
Radical水
Frequency#200
Meaningssea, ocean

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 9 — start from the green dot

Common Words

沿海えんかいsea along the coast; coastal waters; inshore watersnoun
海域かいいきarea of sea; watersnoun
海運かいうんmaritime transport; shippingnoun
海外かいがいforeign; abroad; overseasnoun
海岸かいがんseashore; coast; seasidenoun
海峡かいきょうchannel (e.g. between two land masses); straitnoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 海 (sea) is taught in grade 2 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N4 level. It has 9 strokes with radical 水.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 海 is #200, making it one of the most commonly used kanji.

Example Words in Context

沿海えんかい — sea along the coast; coastal waters; inshore waters
海域かいいき — area of sea; waters
海運かいうん — maritime transport; shipping

Practice Sheet

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

Related Kanji

Same radical (水)

水water永eternity氷icicle汁soup氾spread out江creek池pond汚dirty

Same reading

会meeting開open界world画brush-stroke

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 海 have?

The kanji 海 (sea) has 9 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 海?

海 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 海 mean?

海 means: sea, ocean. On'yomi readings: カイ. Kun'yomi readings: うみ.

What JLPT level is 海?

海 is a JLPT N4 kanji. This is a beginner-level kanji.