KaiwaGo電 kanji: meaning, readings and stroke order
電 means “electricity”. It is written with 13 strokes and is a JLPT N5 kanji.
On’yomi: デン (den). Kun’yomi: none.
How to write 電 (stroke order)
Write 電 in 13 strokes, following the numbers. Each small box adds one stroke; the red line is the stroke to draw.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
General rules: top before bottom, left before right, horizontal before a vertical that crosses it, and a closing bottom stroke last. Writing in the right order makes handwriting readable and helps you count strokes when you look a kanji up.
Practice writing 電
Trace 電 over the faint model with your finger or mouse, following the stroke order above. Turn the model off to write it from memory.
Readings of 電
| On’yomi (Chinese reading) | デン (den) |
|---|---|
| Kun’yomi (Japanese reading) | none |
The on’yomi is usually used in compound words, the kun’yomi when 電 stands alone or is followed by hiragana. A dot (.) marks where the hiragana ending starts.
Example words with 電
| Word | Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 電車 | でんしゃ densha | train | |
| 電話 | でんわ denwa | telephone |
電車 (densha) means “train”. Also in this word: 車
電話 (denwa) means “telephone”. Also in this word: 話
FAQ
What does 電 mean in Japanese?
電 means “electricity”. Common words with it are 電車 (densha, “train”) and 電話 (denwa, “telephone”).
How many strokes does 電 have?
電 has 13 strokes. Follow the stroke-order diagram on this page from stroke 1 to 13.
How do you read 電?
The on’yomi is デン (den) and the kun’yomi is none. Which one is used depends on the word.
Is 電 on the JLPT N5?
Yes. 電 is kanji number 55 of the 101 N5 kanji on this site.