# 操 — manipulate; gymnastics

操 means “manipulate; gymnastics”. It is a JLPT N2 kanji written with 16 strokes. On'yomi: ソウ (sou). Kun'yomi: みさお (misao), あやつ(る) (ayatsuru). You'll see it in words such as 操る (ayatsuru, “to operate; to handle”).

- Meaning: manipulate; gymnastics
- On'yomi: ソウ (sou)
- Kun'yomi: みさお (misao), あやつ(る) (ayatsuru)
- Strokes: 16
- Level: JLPT N2 · set Hands at work 2

## How to remember 操

Parts: 扌 hand · 品 goods · 木 tree

## Words with 操

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 操る | あやつる (ayatsuru) | to operate; to handle |

## Don't confuse it with

[燥](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/arid/) · [藻](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/seaweed/)

## More in the “Hands at work 2” set

[触](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/touch/) · [届](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/deliver/) · [閉](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/close/) · [包](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/wrap/) · [折](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/fold/) · [贈](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/gift/) · [操](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/manipulate/) · [詰](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/cram/)

---

From Moji Ninja (https://moji.ninja/), a free app for learning hiragana, katakana and the JLPT kanji from N5 to N1 with spaced repetition. Page: https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/manipulate/. Last updated 2026-11-01.