補

補 — supplement, supply, make good

Learn the correct stroke order for 補 (supplement), a 12-stroke kanji.

JLPT N2Grade 612 strokes

Stroke Order

Stroke 0 / 12

On'yomi (音読み)ホho

Kun'yomi (訓読み)おぎな.うoginau

Strokes12

Radical衣

Frequency#332

Meaningssupplement, supply, make good, offset, compensate, assistant, learner

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 12 — start from the green dot

Common Words

候補こうほcandidate; contender; prospectnoun

補うおぎなうto supplement; to make up for; to compensate forverb

補完ほかんcomplementation; supplementation; completionnoun

補給ほきゅうsupply; supplying; replenishmentnoun

補強ほきょうreinforcement; strengtheningnoun

補欠ほけつfilling a vacancy; supplementationnoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 補 (supplement) is taught in grade 6 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N2 level. It has 12 strokes with radical 衣.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 補 is #332, making it one of the most commonly used kanji.

Example Words in Context

候補こうほ — candidate; contender; prospect

補うおぎなう — to supplement; to make up for; to compensate for

補完ほかん — complementation; supplementation; completion

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 裁tailor

Same reading

布linen

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 補 have?

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

What is the correct stroke order for 補?

補 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 補 mean?

補 means: supplement, supply, make good, offset, compensate, assistant, learner. On'yomi readings: ホ. Kun'yomi readings: おぎな.う.

What JLPT level is 補?

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