意 — how to write the kanji for “idea”
意 means “idea”, “mind” and “heart”; it is a JLPT N4 kanji, taught in third grade in Japan. In newspapers it is one of the hundred most used kanji (99th). Its parts sit stacked: 音 (“sound”), strokes 1–9; 心 (“heart”, its radical), strokes 10–13, each finished before the next. Its 13 strokes make it one of the longest to write at N4. Its common words take the reading i: 合意 (“(coming to an) agreement”), 意向 (“intention”), 意味 (“meaning”) and 意見 (“opinion”). Chinese reads it yì, “idea”, at HSK 2.
- Strokes
- 13
- JLPT
- N4
- Radical
- 心 (“heart”)
- On
- イ
Stroke by stroke
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- Vertical ㇑topdownwards
- Horizontal ㇐top leftrightwards
- Dot ㇔top leftdown and right
- Left-falling stroke ㇒topdownwards
- Horizontal ㇐leftrightwards
- Vertical ㇑leftdownwards
- Horizontal-turn ㇕leftrightwards → downwards
- Horizontal ㇐leftrightwards
- Horizontal ㇐bottom leftrightwards
- Dot ㇔bottom leftdown and left
- Flat slanted hook ㇃bottom leftdown and right
- Dot ㇔bottomdown and right → up and right
- Dot ㇔bottom rightdown and right
Japanese and Chinese
The two models differ in shape, so our comparison does not claim an order; compare the numbered frames yourself (13 strokes in Japanese, 13 strokes in Chinese).
Trace it
Follow the numbers. Tracing help
Readings
- On (Chinese-derived)
- イ i
- Kun (native)
- none
- Meanings
- idea; mind; heart; taste; thought; desire
- Read i
- 合意 意向 意味 意見 意思 意欲
- School year
- third grade
- Newspaper rank
- 99th of 2,500 (KANJIDIC2)
- Korean hanja
- 의 ui
- Common words
- 77 in JMdict
Words with 意
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 合意 | ごうい goui | (coming to an) agreement; consent |
| 意向 | いこう ikou | intention; inclination |
| 意味 | いみ imi | meaning; significance |
| 意見 | いけん iken | opinion; view |
| 意思 | いし ishi | intention; wish |
| 意欲 | いよく iyoku | will; desire |
| 意識 | いしき ishiki | consciousness; becoming aware |
| 決意 | けつい ketsui | decision; determination |
| 意外 | いがい igai | unexpected; surprising |
| 意義 | いぎ igi | meaning; significance |
Most common first (JMdict).
Practice sheet
Print at 100%. Several kanji: worksheet maker.
Keep going
Same parts:
JLPT N4, in list order: