理 — how to write the kanji for “logic”
理 means “logic”, “arrangement” and “reason”; it is a JLPT N4 kanji, taught in second grade in Japan. In newspapers it is one of the hundred most used kanji (86th). Its Japanese stroke 2, a vertical, is the 3rd stroke in the Chinese order. KANJIDIC2 files it under the radical 玉 (“jewel”). On its own it is the word ri, “reason; principle”. Its common words take the reading ri: 理事 (“director”), 理由 (“reason”), 管理 (“control”) and 処理 (“processing”). Chinese reads it lǐ, “reason”, at HSK 3.
- Strokes
- 11
- JLPT
- N4
- Radical
- 玉 (“jewel”)
- On
- リ
- Kun
- ことわり
Stroke by stroke
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
Its parts sit side by side: 王 (“king or jade”), strokes 1–4; 里 (“ri”), strokes 5–11, each finished before the next.
- Horizontal ㇐top leftrightwards
- Vertical ㇑top leftdownwards
- Horizontal ㇐leftrightwards
- Rising stroke ㇀bottom leftrightwards
- Vertical ㇑topdownwards
- Horizontal-turn ㇕toprightwards → downwards
- Horizontal ㇐toprightwards
- Horizontal ㇐centerrightwards
- Vertical ㇑topdownwards
- Horizontal ㇐centerrightwards
- Horizontal ㇐bottomrightwards
Two stroke orders
Japan and China order its strokes differently: 2 strokes sit in another place. Japanese 2 = Chinese 3; Japanese 3 = Chinese 2.
Trace it
Follow the numbers. Tracing help
Readings
- On (Chinese-derived)
- リ ri
- Kun (native)
- ことわり kotowari (rare)
- Meanings
- logic; arrangement; reason; justice; truth
- Read ri
- 理事 理由 管理 処理 料理 理解
- School year
- second grade
- Newspaper rank
- 86th of 2,500 (KANJIDIC2)
- Korean hanja
- 리 ri
- Common words
- 80 in JMdict
Words with 理
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 理事 | りじ riji | director; trustee |
| 理由 | りゆう riyuu | reason; grounds |
| 管理 | かんり kanri | control; management |
| 処理 | しょり shori | processing; dealing with |
| 料理 | りょうり ryouri | cooking; cookery |
| 理解 | りかい rikai | understanding; comprehension |
| 総理 | そうり souri | prime minister; premier |
| 代理 | だいり dairi | representation; agency |
| 倫理 | りんり rinri | ethics; morals |
| 理念 | りねん rinen | (Platonic) ideal; foundational principle |
Most common first (JMdict).
Practice sheet
Print at 100%. Several kanji: worksheet maker.
Keep going
Same parts:
JLPT N4, in list order: