How to Write い (Hiragana 'i') — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 2-stroke writing sequence of the Hiragana (ひらがな) (Foundational Japanese Kana Syllabary) character い (“Hiragana 'i'”), indexed under the い (—) radical. Practice い alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as いいえ (iie — no).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (い)
Primary Radical (部首): い — —
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Foundational Japanese Kana Syllabary (Hiragana (ひらがな)). As a phonetic Hiragana (ひらがな) syllable pronounced "i", い represents a fixed mora sound rather than splitting into Onyomi and Kunyomi readings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (2画): With only 2 strokes, い is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the い (—) 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), い conveys the core meaning “Hiragana 'i'” and is built around the い (—) radical across 2 strokes (foundational low-stroke shape (1–5 strokes)). Reinforce い in memory by pairing its radical structure with real Jukugo vocabulary: いいえ (iie — no).
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using い
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji い (FAQ)
How many strokes are in い and how is it structured?
The Japanese character い ("Hiragana 'i'") is written with 2 strokes (2画) as a Hiragana (ひらがな) (Foundational Japanese Kana Syllabary) foundational low-stroke shape (1–5 strokes) indexed under the い (—) radical. With only 2 strokes, い is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the い (—) 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 い?
For い (Hiragana (ひらがな)), the Onyomi is — and the Kunyomi is i. As a phonetic Hiragana (ひらがな) syllable pronounced "i", い represents a fixed mora sound rather than splitting into Onyomi and Kunyomi readings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using い includes いいえ (iie — no).
What is the stroke order rule for writing い on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 2 strokes of い (Hiragana 'i'), start with the い (—) and follow standard Japanese Hitsujun (筆順) principles: top to bottom (上から下) and left to right (左から右). Practice い 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!