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禅

禅 — Zen, silent meditation

Learn the correct stroke order for 禅 (Zen), a 13-stroke kanji.

JLPT N1Secondary school13 strokes

Stroke Order

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Stroke 0 / 13
On'yomi (音読み)ゼンzen、センsen
Kun'yomi (訓読み)しずかshizuka、ゆず.るyuzuru
Strokes13
Radical示
Frequency#1902
MeaningsZen, silent meditation

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 13 — start from the green dot

Common Words

座禅ざぜんzazen (seated Zen meditation, usu. in a cross-legged position)noun
禅寺ぜんでらZen templenoun
禅宗ぜんしゅうZen (Buddhism)noun
禅僧ぜんそうZen priestnoun
禅ぜんdhyana (profound meditation)noun
禅問答ぜんもんどうZen dialogue; Zen questions and answersnoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 禅 (Zen) is part of the secondary school kanji set and appears at JLPT N1 level. It has 13 strokes with radical 示.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 禅 is #1902, making it a moderately common kanji.

Example Words in Context

座禅ざぜん — zazen (seated Zen meditation, usu. in a cross-legged position)
禅寺ぜんでら — Zen temple
禅宗ぜんしゅう — Zen (Buddhism)

Practice Sheet

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

Related Kanji

Same radical (示)

示show礼salute社company祉welfare祈pray神gods祝celebrate祖ancestor

Same reading

鮮fresh宣proclaim善virtuous染dye銭coin薦recommend仙hermit潜submerge

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 禅 have?

The kanji 禅 (Zen) has 13 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 禅?

禅 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 禅 mean?

禅 means: Zen, silent meditation. On'yomi readings: ゼン, セン. Kun'yomi readings: しずか, ゆず.る.

What JLPT level is 禅?

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