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裁

裁 — tailor, judge, decision

Learn the correct stroke order for 裁 (tailor), a 12-stroke kanji.

JLPT N1Grade 612 strokes

Stroke Order

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Stroke 0 / 12
On'yomi (音読み)サイsai
Kun'yomi (訓読み)た.つtatsu、さば.くsabaku
Strokes12
Radical衣
Frequency#297
Meaningstailor, judge, decision, cut out (pattern)

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 12 — start from the green dot

Common Words

決裁けっさいsanction; approval; decisionnoun
裁くさばくto judge; to try; to sit in judgement (on)verb
裁つたつto cut (cloth)verb
裁決さいけつdecision; ruling; judgementnoun
裁判さいばんtrial; judgement; judgmentnoun
裁縫さいほうsewing; needleworknoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 裁 (tailor) is taught in grade 6 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N1 level. It has 12 strokes with radical 衣.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 裁 is #297, making it one of the most commonly used kanji.

Example Words in Context

決裁けっさい — sanction; approval; decision
裁くさばく — to judge; to try; to sit in judgement (on)
裁つたつ — to cut (cloth)

Practice Sheet

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

Related Kanji

Same radical (衣)

衣garment表surface衷inmost被incur衰decline袖sleeve袋sack補supplement

Same reading

催sponsor債bond載ride災disaster斎purification斉adjusted彩coloring栽plantation

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 裁 have?

The kanji 裁 (tailor) has 12 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 裁?

裁 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 裁 mean?

裁 means: tailor, judge, decision, cut out (pattern). On'yomi readings: サイ. Kun'yomi readings: た.つ, さば.く.

What JLPT level is 裁?

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