Kanji N1

衛: defense, protection

衛 is a JLPT N1 kanji meaning defense, protection, written with 16 strokes. It is read エイ, エ (on), and has no common kun reading. Children in Japan learn it in grade 5. You will see it in 防衛 (ぼうえい, defense) and 衛星 (えいせい, satellite).

衛

Meanings

  • defense
  • protection
Strokes16
JLPT levelN1
School gradeGrade 5
Frequency#400 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • エイ
  • エ

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

Kun reading
  • None in common use

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.

12345678910111213141516

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 衛

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

  • 防衛ぼうえい

    defense; defence; protection

    JLPT N1
  • 衛星えいせい

    (natural) satellite; moon

    JLPT N3
  • 衛生えいせい

    hygiene; sanitation; cleanliness; health

    JLPT N1
  • 自衛じえい

    self-defense; self-defence

    JLPT N2
  • 護衛ごえい

    guard; convoy; escort

    JLPT N1
  • 守衛しゅえい

    (security) guard; caretaker; janitor; doorkeeper

    JLPT N1
  • 自衛隊じえいたい

    Japan Self-Defense Forces; JSDF

  • 防衛庁ぼうえいちょう

    Japan Defense Agency (became Ministry of Defense in January 2007)

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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.