花 — how to write the kanji for “flower”
花 (“flower”) is a JLPT N4 kanji taught in first grade in Japan. Its parts sit stacked: 艹 (“grass”), strokes 1–3; 化 (“change”), strokes 4–7, each finished before the next. On its own it is the word hana, “flower; blossom”. Its native reading hana leads in its common words, as in 花火 (“fireworks”) and 花園 (“flower garden”); read ka it forms 花粉 (“pollen”). Chinese reads it huā, “flower”, at HSK 2.
- Strokes
- 7
- JLPT
- N4
- Radical
- 艸 (“grass”)
- On
- カ, ケ
- Kun
- はな
Stroke by stroke
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- Horizontal ㇐top leftrightwards
- Vertical ㇑top leftdownwards
- Vertical ㇑top rightdownwards
- Left-falling stroke ㇒leftdown and left
- Vertical ㇑leftdownwards
- Left-falling stroke ㇒rightdown and left
- Vertical-curve-hook ㇟centerdownwards → rightwards
Japanese and Chinese
Japanese and Chinese draw all 7 strokes in the same order and direction, by our stroke-by-stroke comparison.
Trace it
Follow the numbers. Tracing help
Readings
- On (Chinese-derived)
- カ ka, ケ ke (rare)
- Kun (native)
- はな hana
- Meanings
- flower
- Read hana
- 花火 花園 花見 花束 花嫁 火花
- Read ka
- 花粉 開花 献花
- School year
- first grade
- Newspaper rank
- 578th of 2,500 (KANJIDIC2)
- Korean hanja
- 화 hwa
- Common words
- 27 in JMdict
Words with 花
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 花火 | はなび hanabi | fireworks |
| 花園 | はなぞの hanazono | flower garden |
| 花見 | はなみ hanami | cherry blossom viewing; flower viewing |
| 花束 | はなたば hanataba | bunch of flowers; bouquet |
| 花粉 | かふん kafun | pollen |
| 花嫁 | はなよめ hanayome | bride |
| 開花 | かいか kaika | flowering; blooming |
| 火花 | ひばな hibana | spark |
| 献花 | けんか kenka | flower offering; floral tribute |
| 花形 | はながた hanagata | floral pattern; flourish |
Most common first (JMdict).
Practice sheet
Print at 100%. Several kanji: worksheet maker.
Keep going
Same parts:
JLPT N4, in list order: