1. Kanji Breakdown: 校
This kanji is a fundamental character related to education and comparison.
Meaning: School; to check, to compare, to proofread.
Reading:
Onyomi (Sino-Japanese reading): コウ (kou)
Kunyomi (Native Japanese reading): None in common modern use.
The kanji is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字). It consists of two parts:
Left (木): This means "wood" or "tree," representing the material from which school desks, furniture, or even the tablets used for writing in ancient times were made.
Right (交): This means "to mix," "to intersect," or "to exchange."
The original meaning was related to "wooden shackles" or "to compare" (as in comparing two things by crossing them). The meaning evolved to a place where people "exchange" knowledge and ideas, hence "school." The meaning of "to check" or "to proofread" also comes from this idea of comparison.
2. Stroke Order and Writing
Learning the correct stroke order is crucial for balanced and beautiful kanji. "校" has 10 strokes.
Here is the stroke order diagram and explanation:
Total Strokes: 10
Start with the left radical "木" (tree radical):
Then, write the right part "交":
Key Writing Tips:
Write from left to right, top to bottom.
The left radical "木" is narrower. Remember that the horizontal stroke is slightly tilted upwards, and the right dot is slightly lower than the left dot.
The right part "交" is wider. Pay attention to the crossing point of the strokes.
The overall structure should be balanced and square.
3. Vocabulary and Example Sentences
Here are some common words using "校" and how to use them in sentences.
Vocabulary
学校 (がっこう, gakkou)
Meaning: School.
Example: 妹は毎日学校に歩いて行きます。
Romaji: Imōto wa mainichi gakkou ni aruite ikimasu.
English: My younger sister walks to school every day.
校長 (こうちょう, kouchou)
Meaning: School principal, headmaster.
Example: 校長先生の話を真剣に聞いた。
Romaji: Kouchou-sensei no hanashi o shinken ni kiita.
English: I listened seriously to the principal's speech.
校舎 (こうしゃ, kousha)
Meaning: School building.
Example: 新しい校舎が完成した。
Romaji: Atarashii kousha ga kansei shita.
English: The new school building has been completed.
校正 (こうせい, kousei)
Meaning: Proofreading, correction (of text).
Example: 原稿の校正をしてくれる人を探しています。
Romaji: Genkō no kousei o shite kureru hito o sagashite imasu.
English: I'm looking for someone to do proofreading of the manuscript.
校了 (こうりょう, kouryou)
Meaning: Final proof (in publishing); the final stage of proofreading before printing.
Example: この本は明日校了の予定だ。
Romaji: Kono hon wa ashita kouryou no yotei da.
English: This book is scheduled for final proof tomorrow.
Summary
Kanji: 校
Core Meaning: School; to check, to compare.
Readings: On'yomi コウ (kou)
Stroke Order: 10 strokes. Remember it's composed of 木 (left - wood) and 交 (right - to exchange). Practice writing it step-by-step to master its form.
This kanji is absolutely essential for talking about education and academic life in Japanese. By mastering its stroke order and vocabulary, you will be able to correctly write and use this fundamental character.