臣

臣 — retainer, subject

Learn the correct stroke order for 臣 (retainer), a 7-stroke kanji.

JLPT N2Grade 47 strokes

Stroke Order

Stroke 0 / 7

On'yomi (音読み)シンshin、ジンjin

Kun'yomi (訓読み)—

Strokes7

Radical臣

Frequency#1249

Meaningsretainer, subject

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 7 — start from the green dot

Common Words

大臣だいじんcabinet ministernoun

忠臣ちゅうしんloyal retainer; loyal subjectnoun

国務大臣こくむだいじんminister of state; cabinet minister (in Japan)noun

総理大臣そうりだいじんprime minister (as the head of a cabinet government); premiernoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 臣 (retainer) is taught in grade 4 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N2 level. It has 7 strokes with radical 臣.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 臣 is #1249, making it a moderately common kanji.

Example Words in Context

大臣だいじん — cabinet minister

忠臣ちゅうしん — loyal retainer; loyal subject

国務大臣こくむだいじん — minister of state; cabinet minister (in Japan)

Practice Sheet

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

Related Kanji

Same radical (臣)

臨look to

Same reading

針needle 森forest 清pure 伸expand 震quake 沈sink 辛spicy

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 臣 have?

The kanji 臣 (retainer) has 7 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 臣?

臣 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 臣 mean?

臣 means: retainer, subject. On'yomi readings: シン, ジン.

What JLPT level is 臣?

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