Kanji N1

操: maneuver, manipulate, operate

操 is a JLPT N1 kanji meaning maneuver, manipulate, operate, written with 16 strokes. It is read ソウ, サン (on) and みさお, あやつる (kun). Children in Japan learn it in grade 6. You will see it in 操作 (そうさ, operation) and 操縦 (そうじゅう, steering).

操

Meanings

  • maneuver
  • manipulate
  • operate
  • steer
  • chastity
  • virginity
  • fidelity
Strokes16
JLPT levelN1
School gradeGrade 6
Frequency#1016 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • ソウ
  • サン

On'yomi: from Chinese, written in katakana. Used in compound words.

Kun reading
  • みさお
  • あやつる

Kun'yomi: native Japanese, in hiragana. The faint part is the okurigana, written in kana after the kanji.

Watch the stroke order

Every stroke in order, the live one in vermilion. Replay as often as you like.

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Now draw it

Trace each stroke in order. Wrong direction or wrong order gets flagged right away.

123456789101112131415160 / 16

Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 16. Start at the dot.

Common words with 操

The most useful words written with it, easiest first. Every other kanji in them opens its own page.

  • 操作そうさ

    operation; management; handling

    JLPT N3
  • 操縦そうじゅう

    steering; piloting; flying; control; operation

    JLPT N1
  • 体操たいそう

    gymnastics; physical exercises

    JLPT N2
  • 操るあやつる

    to operate (e.g. a machine); to handle

    JLPT N1
  • 操業そうぎょう

    operation (of a machine, factory, fishing boat, etc.)

  • 操みさお

    fidelity; honour; honor; constancy

  • 節操せっそう

    integrity; fidelity; constancy; principle

  • 操りあやつり

    manipulation; puppet

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Stroke order from KanjiVG © Ulrich Apel, CC BY-SA 3.0. Readings, meanings and words from KANJIDIC2 and JMdict, names from JMnedict, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0, and Wikidata, CC0; the Spanish meanings they lack, translated by Naraio from their English, are shared under the same licence. Example sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR. JLPT lists after Jonathan Waller (tanos.co.uk), CC BY. Sentences split into words with IPADIC © NAIST and IPA, through Lindera.