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言

言 — say, word

Learn the correct stroke order for 言 (say), a 7-stroke kanji.

JLPT N4Grade 27 strokes

Stroke Order

1234567
Stroke 0 / 7
On'yomi (音読み)ゲンgen、ゴンgon
Kun'yomi (訓読み)い.うiu、ことkoto
Strokes7
Radical言
Frequency#83
Meaningssay, word

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 7 — start from the green dot

Common Words

遺言ゆいごんwill; testament; one's dying wishnoun
過言かごんexaggeration; overstatement; saying too muchnoun
甘言かんげんsweet words; smooth talk; cajolerynoun
狂言きょうげんkyogen; farce presented between noh plays or during the interlude of a noh playnoun
苦言くげんcandid advice; frank advice; honest opinionnoun
言及げんきゅうreference; allusionnoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 言 (say) is taught in grade 2 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N4 level. It has 7 strokes with radical 言.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 言 is #83, making it one of the most commonly used kanji.

Example Words in Context

遺言ゆいごん — will; testament; one's dying wish
過言かごん — exaggeration; overstatement; saying too much
甘言かんげん — sweet words; smooth talk; cajolery

Practice Sheet

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

Related Kanji

Same radical (言)

計plot訂revise訃obituary記scribe討chastise託consign訓instruction設establishment

Same reading

元beginning験verification

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 言 have?

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

What is the correct stroke order for 言?

言 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 言 mean?

言 means: say, word. On'yomi readings: ゲン, ゴン. Kun'yomi readings: い.う, こと.

What JLPT level is 言?

言 is a JLPT N4 kanji. This is a beginner-level kanji.