鼓

鼓 — drum, beat, rouse

Learn the correct stroke order for 鼓 (drum), a 13-stroke kanji.

JLPT N1Secondary school13 strokes

Stroke Order

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Stroke 0 / 13
On'yomi (音読み)コko
Kun'yomi (訓読み)つづみtsuzumi
Strokes13
Radical鼓
Frequency#1795
Meaningsdrum, beat, rouse, muster

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 13 — start from the green dot

Common Words

鼓動こどうbeat; palpitation; pulsationnoun
鼓舞こぶencouragement; inspiration; rousingnoun
鼓膜こまくeardrum; tympanic membranenoun
太鼓たいこdrumnoun
鼓つづみtsuzumi; hourglass-shaped Japanese hand drumnoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 鼓 (drum) is part of the secondary school kanji set and appears at JLPT N1 level. It has 13 strokes with radical 鼓.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 鼓 is #1795, making it a moderately common kanji.

Example Words in Context

鼓動こどう — beat; palpitation; pulsation
鼓舞こぶ — encouragement; inspiration; rousing
鼓膜こまく — eardrum; tympanic membrane

Practice Sheet

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

Related Kanji

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 鼓 have?

The kanji 鼓 (drum) has 13 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 鼓?

鼓 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 鼓 mean?

鼓 means: drum, beat, rouse, muster. On'yomi readings: コ. Kun'yomi readings: つづみ.

What JLPT level is 鼓?

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