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衛

衛 — defense, protection

Learn the correct stroke order for 衛 (defense), a 16-stroke kanji.

JLPT N1Grade 516 strokes

Stroke Order

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Stroke 0 / 16
On'yomi (音読み)エイei、エe
Kun'yomi (訓読み)—
Strokes16
Radical行
Frequency#400
Meaningsdefense, protection

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 16 — start from the green dot

Common Words

衛星えいせい(natural) satellite; moonnoun
衛生えいせいhygiene; sanitation; cleanlinessnoun
護衛ごえいguard; convoy; escortnoun
自衛じえいself-defense; self-defencenoun
守衛しゅえい(security) guard; caretaker; janitornoun
親衛しんえいmonarch's guardsnoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 衛 (defense) is taught in grade 5 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N1 level. It has 16 strokes with radical 行.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 衛 is #400, making it one of the most commonly used kanji.

Example Words in Context

衛星えいせい — (natural) satellite; moon
衛生えいせい — hygiene; sanitation; cleanliness
護衛ごえい — guard; convoy; escort

Practice Sheet

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

Related Kanji

Same radical (行)

行going術art街boulevard衝collide衡equilibrium

Same reading

影shadow壊demolition恵favor懐feelings詠recitation

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 衛 have?

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

What is the correct stroke order for 衛?

衛 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 衛 mean?

衛 means: defense, protection. On'yomi readings: エイ, エ.

What JLPT level is 衛?

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