磨

磨 — grind, polish, scour

Learn the correct stroke order for 磨 (grind), a 16-stroke kanji.

JLPT N2Secondary school16 strokes

Stroke Order

Stroke 0 / 16

On'yomi (音読み)マma

Kun'yomi (訓読み)みが.くmigaku、す.るsuru

Strokes16

Radical石

Frequency#1608

Meaningsgrind, polish, scour, improve, brush (teeth)

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 16 — start from the green dot

Common Words

達磨だるまdaruma; tumbling doll; round, red-painted good-luck doll in the shape of Bodhidharma, with a blank eye to be completed when a person's wish is grantednoun

磨くみがくto polish; to shine; to burnishverb

研磨けんまgrinding; polishingnoun

磨きみがきpolish; burnishingnoun

歯磨きはみがきdental brushing; brushing one's teethnoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 磨 (grind) is part of the secondary school kanji set and appears at JLPT N2 level. It has 16 strokes with radical 石.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 磨 is #1608, making it a moderately common kanji.

Example Words in Context

達磨だるま — daruma; tumbling doll; round, red-painted good-luck doll in the shape of Bodhidharma, with a blank eye to be completed when a person's wish is granted

磨くみがく — to polish; to shine; to burnish

研磨けんま — grinding; polishing

Practice Sheet

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

Related Kanji

Same radical (石)

石stone 研polish 砂sand 砕smash 破rend 砲cannon 硬stiff 硫sulphur

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 磨 have?

The kanji 磨 (grind) has 16 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 磨?

磨 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 磨 mean?

磨 means: grind, polish, scour, improve, brush (teeth). On'yomi readings: マ. Kun'yomi readings: みが.く, す.る.

What JLPT level is 磨?

磨 is a JLPT N2 kanji. This is an advanced kanji.