Kanji N3

形: shape, form, style

形 is a JLPT N3 kanji meaning shape, form, style, written with 7 strokes. It is read ケイ, ギョウ (on) and かた, かたち, なり (kun). Children in Japan learn it in grade 2. You will see it in 形 (かたち, form) and 人形 (にんぎょう, doll).

形

Meanings

  • shape
  • form
  • style
Strokes7
JLPT levelN3
School gradeGrade 2
Frequency#418 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • ケイ
  • ギョウ

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

Kun reading
  • かた
  • -がた
  • かたち
  • なり

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.

1234567

Now draw it

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

12345670 / 7

Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 7. Start at the dot.

Common words with 形

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

  • 形かたち

    (physical) form; shape; figure

    JLPT N4
  • 人形にんぎょう

    doll; puppet; marionette

    JLPT N4
  • 形式けいしき

    form (as opposed to substance)

    JLPT N2
  • 形成けいせい

    formation; molding; making (up); taking form

    JLPT N1
  • 形態けいたい

    form; shape; figure

    JLPT N1
  • 地形じぎょう

    terrain; geographical features; topography

    JLPT N1
  • 原形げんけい

    original form; base form

    JLPT N1
  • 図形ずけい

    figure; shape; graphic

    JLPT N2

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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.