Kanji N1

裁: tailor, judge, decision

裁 is a JLPT N1 kanji meaning tailor, judge, decision, written with 12 strokes. It is read サイ (on) and たつ, さばく (kun). Children in Japan learn it in grade 6. You will see it in 裁判 (さいばん, trial) and 制裁 (せいさい, sanctions).

裁

Meanings

  • tailor
  • judge
  • decision
  • cut out (pattern)
Strokes12
JLPT levelN1
School gradeGrade 6
Frequency#297 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • サイ

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

Kun reading
  • たつ
  • さばく

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.

1234567891011120 / 12

Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 12. Start at the dot.

Common words with 裁

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

  • 裁判さいばん

    trial; judgement; judgment

    JLPT N3
  • 制裁せいさい

    sanctions; punishment

    JLPT N1
  • 独裁どくさい

    dictatorship; despotism; autocracy

    JLPT N1
  • 体裁ていさい

    (outward) appearance

    JLPT N1
  • 裁くさばく

    to judge; to try; to sit in judgement (on)

    JLPT N1
  • 裁縫さいほう

    sewing; needlework

    JLPT N2
  • 総裁そうさい

    president (of an organization); director general

  • 地裁ちさい

    district court

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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.