Each character gets its own row. Spaces and line breaks are skipped.
More options
Making the PDF…
About the kanji practice sheet maker
You learn a character by writing it many times. First you look at it, then you trace it, then you write it alone. This tool makes that sheet for you.
Type the kanji, hiragana, katakana, Chinese characters (hanzi) or Korean hangul you want to practise. Each one gets its own row: a model in the first box, grey copies to trace, and then empty boxes to write on your own. The boxes have the guide lines that teachers use: the 田 cross, the 米 cross with diagonals, or the 井 nine squares.
In Japan this is a 漢字練習プリント, in China a 字帖 (zìtiè), and in Korea a 한글 따라쓰기 sheet. The PDF is made in your browser, and nothing is uploaded.
Features
- Any character you type — kanji, kana, simplified or traditional Chinese, hangul and hanja
- The right shapes for each language — Japanese, mainland Chinese, Taiwanese and Korean forms of the same character
- Two letter styles — a textbook or Kai brush style, or an even Gothic / Hei style
- Four grids — 田 cross, 米 cross and diagonals, 井 nine squares, or plain squares
- You choose the practice — 6 to 14 boxes per row, 0 to 5 grey copies or a whole grey row, 1 to 4 rows per character
- Pinyin or furigana space — four pinyin lines or a blank strip above each row
- Five styles — red, blue, green, black and white, or a playful look with a coloured model box
- A close-up of one row — see the first row big, and save it as a PNG picture
The same character, four shapes
Many characters look a little different in Japan, mainland China, Taiwan and Korea. The meaning is the same, but a stroke can be longer, shorter or in a different place. Look at 直, 骨 and 角: the inside strokes are not the same in a Japanese and a Chinese textbook.
A practice sheet must show the shape your teacher wants. So choose the Character shapes first:
| You learn | Choose | The sheet uses |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese kanji and kana | Japanese | Japanese school shapes |
| Chinese in mainland China or Singapore | Chinese, simplified | Mainland shapes (规范字) |
| Chinese in Taiwan or Hong Kong | Chinese, traditional | Taiwanese shapes |
| Korean hangul and hanja | Korean | Korean shapes |
Kana always use the Japanese shapes, and hangul always use the Korean shapes, whatever you choose.
Which grid is best?
| Grid | What it helps with | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 田 Cross (tian zi ge) | The middle of the box, and where each part of the character sits | Beginners, children, most practice |
| 米 Cross and diagonals (mi zi ge) | Slanting strokes, like the left and right falling strokes of 人 and 永 | Characters with many diagonal strokes, brush writing |
| 井 Nine squares (jiu gong ge) | Balance: which part takes one third, which part takes two thirds | Calligraphy, characters with three parts |
| 口 Plain squares | Size only, no help inside | Tests, dictation, advanced learners |
Box sizes
The boxes fill the width of the page. Fewer boxes per row make bigger boxes. These are the sizes on the page, with the Name line and title at the top:
| Boxes per row | Box on US Letter | Rows on page 1 (Letter) | Box on A4 | Rows on page 1 (A4) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 31.6 mm | 6 | 30.7 mm | 7 |
| 8 | 23.7 mm | 8 | 23.0 mm | 9 |
| 10 | 19.0 mm | 10 | 18.4 mm | 11 |
| 12 | 15.8 mm | 12 | 15.3 mm | 14 |
| 14 | 13.6 mm | 14 | 13.1 mm | 16 |
With pinyin lines above each row, fewer rows fit: for example 7 rows with 10 boxes on Letter. For young children choose 6 or 8 boxes. For adults 10 to 14 boxes work well.
Tips for practice
- Learn the stroke order first. This sheet does not show stroke order. Look it up in your textbook or a dictionary, then trace the grey copies in that order.
- Say the reading each time you write the character. Your hand and your ears learn together.
- Use the cross. Before you write, look where the strokes cross the middle lines. Then start your own character in the same place.
- A few characters a day work better than many at once. Five new kanji and two rows each is a good start.
- Mix new and old. Put three new characters and two old ones on the same sheet.
Five styles
- Classic — red grid lines, like a Chinese copybook (字帖)
- Notebook — blue lines, like a Japanese kanji notebook
- Green — soft green lines, easy on the eyes
- Minimal — grey and black only, to save ink
- Playful — orange lines and a yellow model box, for children
Frequently asked questions
Does the sheet show stroke order?
No. The model and the grey copies show the finished character, not the order of the strokes. Learn the order from your textbook, then use the grey copies to practise it.
Can I make a Chinese copybook (字帖) with pinyin lines?
Yes. Choose Chinese, simplified or Chinese, traditional, open More options and set Above each row to Pinyin lines. You get the four pinyin lines (四线三格) above every row of boxes. Write the pinyin by hand.
Can I practise hiragana and katakana?
Yes. Type the kana you want, for example あいうえお or アイウエオ. Each kana gets its own row, like the kanji.
Does it work for Korean hangul?
Yes. Choose Korean and type the syllables, for example 한글 or 가나다라. Each syllable gets its own row. This is the classic 한글 따라쓰기 sheet.
Which letter style should I choose?
Textbook / Kai looks like handwriting with a brush or pencil, with the small hooks and tapers that teachers ask for. Gothic / Hei has even strokes. It is easier to read but less like real handwriting. For writing practice, most teachers prefer the textbook style.
Why can I not select the characters in the PDF?
The characters are drawn as shapes, not as text. This keeps every character correct and the file small. It does not change how the sheet prints.
Is it free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no limit. The sheet is made in your browser and your text is not uploaded.
Good to know
- The fonts are free fonts under the SIL Open Font License: Klee One (Japanese textbook style), LXGW WenKai (Chinese Kai style), Gowun Batang (Korean) and Noto Sans (Gothic / Hei).
- Only the font pieces for your characters are downloaded, so even a long list loads quickly.
- Up to 300 characters make one PDF. Your settings and text are saved in this browser.
- A character that no font has (an emoji, for example) is left empty, and the status line tells you.
- Print at Actual size or 100% to keep the box size.
Related tools
- Tian Zi Ge Paper — empty 田字格 and 米字格 paper
- Genkouyoushi — Japanese manuscript paper with 400 squares
- Wongoji — Korean manuscript paper
- Japanese Keyboard — type kana to paste into the sheet
- Korean Keyboard — type hangul without installing anything
- Handwriting Worksheet Maker — tracing sheets for Latin letters
How to use it
- Type the characters you want to practise, for example 日本語 or 我爱你
- Choose the Character shapes: Japanese, Chinese simplified, Chinese traditional or Korean
- Pick the Grid, the number of Boxes per row and the Grey copies to trace
- Choose a Style, and add pinyin lines or a furigana strip under More options if you want them
- Check the preview, then click Download PDF or Print, and print at Actual size
