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老

老 — old man, old age, grow old

Learn the correct stroke order for 老 (old man), a 6-stroke kanji.

JLPT N3Grade 46 strokes

Stroke Order

123456
Stroke 0 / 6
On'yomi (音読み)ロウrou
Kun'yomi (訓読み)お.いるoiru、ふ.けるfukeru
Strokes6
Radical老
Frequency#803
Meaningsold man, old age, grow old

Step-by-Step Diagram

1
2
3
4
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6

Try Writing It

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

Draw stroke 1 of 6 — start from the green dot

Common Words

敬老けいろうrespect for the agednoun
元老げんろうelder statesman; doyen; old-timernoun
初老しょろうpast middle age; nearing old age; near-elderlynoun
長老ちょうろうelder; seniornoun
老朽ろうきゅうinfirmity (due to old age); decrepitude; senilitynoun
老後ろうごold agenoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 老 (old man) is taught in grade 4 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N3 level. It has 6 strokes with radical 老.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 老 is #803, making it a frequently used kanji.

Example Words in Context

敬老けいろう — respect for the aged
元老げんろう — elder statesman; doyen; old-timer
初老しょろう — past middle age; nearing old age; near-elderly

Practice Sheet

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

Related Kanji

Same radical (老)

考consider者someone

Same reading

労labor

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 老 have?

The kanji 老 (old man) has 6 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 老?

老 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 老 mean?

老 means: old man, old age, grow old. On'yomi readings: ロウ. Kun'yomi readings: お.いる, ふ.ける.

What JLPT level is 老?

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