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陰

陰 — shade, yin, negative

Learn the correct stroke order for 陰 (shade), a 11-stroke kanji.

JLPT N1Secondary school11 strokes

Stroke Order

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Stroke 0 / 11
On'yomi (音読み)インin
Kun'yomi (訓読み)かげkage、かげ.るkageru
Strokes11
Radical阜
Frequency#1393
Meaningsshade, yin, negative, sex organs, secret, shadow

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 11 — start from the green dot

Common Words

陰気いんきgloomy; dismal; miserablena-adjective
陰口かげぐちmalicious gossip; backbiting; speaking ill behind someone's backnoun
陰性いんせいnegative (result)noun
陰謀いんぼうplot; intrigue; schemenoun
山陰やまかげplace in the shade of a mountain; shelter of the mountainsnoun
日陰ひかげshade; shadownoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 陰 (shade) is part of the secondary school kanji set and appears at JLPT N1 level. It has 11 strokes with radical 阜.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 陰 is #1393, making it a moderately common kanji.

Example Words in Context

陰気いんき — gloomy; dismal; miserable
陰口かげぐち — malicious gossip; backbiting; speaking ill behind someone's back
陰性いんせい — negative (result)

Practice Sheet

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

Related Kanji

Same radical (阜)

防ward off阪heights阻thwart阜hill附affixed限limit院Inst.除exclude

Same reading

隠conceal姻matrimony韻rhyme

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 陰 have?

The kanji 陰 (shade) has 11 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 陰?

陰 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 陰 mean?

陰 means: shade, yin, negative, sex organs, secret, shadow. On'yomi readings: イン. Kun'yomi readings: かげ, かげ.る.

What JLPT level is 陰?

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