犬

犬 — dog

Learn the correct stroke order for 犬 (dog), a 4-stroke kanji.

JLPT N4Grade 14 strokes

Stroke Order

Stroke 0 / 4

On'yomi (音読み)ケンken

Kun'yomi (訓読み)いぬinu、いぬ-inu

Strokes4

Radical犬

Frequency#1326

Meaningsdog

Step-by-Step Diagram

Try Writing It

Practice writing each stroke in the correct order and direction. Start from the green dot.

Draw stroke 1 of 4 — start from the green dot

Common Words

愛犬あいけんpet dog; beloved dognoun

番犬ばんけんwatchdog; guard dognoun

野犬やけんstray dog; ownerless dognoun

猟犬りょうけんhound; hunting dog; gun dognoun

子犬こいぬpuppynoun

犬いぬdog (Canis (lupus) familiaris); caninenoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 犬 (dog) is taught in grade 1 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N4 level. It has 4 strokes with radical 犬.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 犬 is #1326, making it a moderately common kanji.

Example Words in Context

愛犬あいけん — pet dog; beloved dog

番犬ばんけん — watchdog; guard dog

野犬やけん — stray dog; ownerless dog

Practice Sheet

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

Related Kanji

Same radical (犬)

犯crime 状status quo 狂lunatic 狙aim at 独single 狭cramped 狩hunt 猛fierce

Same reading

建build 研polish 験verification

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 犬 have?

The kanji 犬 (dog) has 4 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 犬?

犬 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 犬 mean?

犬 means: dog. On'yomi readings: ケン. Kun'yomi readings: いぬ, いぬ-.

What JLPT level is 犬?

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