How to Write あ (Hiragana 'a') — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 3-stroke writing sequence of the Hiragana (ひらがな) (Foundational Japanese Kana Syllabary) character あ (“Hiragana 'a'”), indexed under the あ (—) radical. Practice あ alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as ありがとう (arigatou — thank you).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (あ)
Primary Radical (部首): あ — —
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Foundational Japanese Kana Syllabary (Hiragana (ひらがな)). As a phonetic Hiragana (ひらがな) syllable pronounced "a", あ represents a fixed mora sound rather than splitting into Onyomi and Kunyomi readings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (3画): With only 3 strokes, あ is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the あ (—) structure cleanly around the center intersection and finish terminal strokes with crisp tome (stop) or harai (sweep) release.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
In Hiragana (ひらがな) (Foundational Japanese Kana Syllabary), あ conveys the core meaning “Hiragana 'a'” and is built around the あ (—) radical across 3 strokes (foundational low-stroke shape (1–5 strokes)). Reinforce あ in memory by pairing its radical structure with real Jukugo vocabulary: ありがとう (arigatou — thank you).
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using あ
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji あ (FAQ)
How many strokes are in あ and how is it structured?
The Japanese character あ ("Hiragana 'a'") is written with 3 strokes (3画) as a Hiragana (ひらがな) (Foundational Japanese Kana Syllabary) foundational low-stroke shape (1–5 strokes) indexed under the あ (—) radical. With only 3 strokes, あ is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the あ (—) structure cleanly around the center intersection and finish terminal strokes with crisp tome (stop) or harai (sweep) release.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for あ?
For あ (Hiragana (ひらがな)), the Onyomi is — and the Kunyomi is a. As a phonetic Hiragana (ひらがな) syllable pronounced "a", あ represents a fixed mora sound rather than splitting into Onyomi and Kunyomi readings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using あ includes ありがとう (arigatou — thank you).
What is the stroke order rule for writing あ on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 3 strokes of あ (Hiragana 'a'), start with the あ (—) and follow standard Japanese Hitsujun (筆順) principles: top to bottom (上から下) and left to right (左から右). Practice あ interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
More Hiragana (ひらがな) Characters to Practice Next
View Full Hiragana (ひらがな) Kanji List →Unlock All 2,000+ JLPT N5–N1 Kanji, AI Sensei & Unlimited Genkō Yōshi PDF Books
Get lifetime access to all 2,136 Jōyō Kanji (JLPT N5–N1), AI Kanji Sensei mnemonics, and unlimited Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheets for a one-time payment of $17.99 USD (10% OFF the $19.99 Lifetime Pro Pass with promo code KANJI10). Zero monthly subscriptions!