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道Nihongo Path
描

描·draw, depict, sketch

On-yomi
ビョウ
Kun-yomi
えが(く)か(く)

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.

11 strokes, numbered in writing order. Data: KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
描くえがくto draw, to depict
描写びょうしゃdepiction, description
素描そびょうsketch, drawing
描き方かきかたway of drawing

Example sentences

  1. 子どもが絵を描いている。

    こどもがえをかいている。

    A child is drawing a picture.

  2. この小説は戦後の東京を描いている。

    このしょうせつはせんごのとうきょうをえがいている。

    This novel depicts postwar Tokyo.

  3. 登場人物の描写がとても細かい。

    とうじょうじんぶつのびょうしゃがとてもこまかい。

    The characters are described in great detail.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • Reading 描く as えがく when drawing a plain picture — 絵を描く is usually read かく in speech
  • Reading 描写 as かきうつし — it is びょうしゃ

Memory aid

Picture it

A hand (扌) tracing a seedling in a field (苗) — sketching a shape line by line.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

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What does the kanji 描 mean?