How to Write お (Hiragana 'o') — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 3-stroke writing sequence of the Hiragana (ひらがな) (Foundational Japanese Kana Syllabary) character お (“Hiragana 'o'”), indexed under the お (—) radical. Practice お alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as おちゃ (ocha — green tea).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (お)
Primary Radical (部首): お — —
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Foundational Japanese Kana Syllabary (Hiragana (ひらがな)). As a phonetic Hiragana (ひらがな) syllable pronounced "o", お represents a fixed mora sound rather than splitting into Onyomi and Kunyomi readings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (3画): With only 3 strokes, お is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the お (—) 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), お conveys the core meaning “Hiragana 'o'” and is built around the お (—) radical across 3 strokes (foundational low-stroke shape (1–5 strokes)). Reinforce お in memory by pairing its radical structure with real Jukugo vocabulary: おちゃ (ocha — green tea).
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using お
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji お (FAQ)
How many strokes are in お and how is it structured?
The Japanese character お ("Hiragana 'o'") 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 お (—) radical. With only 3 strokes, お is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the お (—) 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 お?
For お (Hiragana (ひらがな)), the Onyomi is — and the Kunyomi is o. As a phonetic Hiragana (ひらがな) syllable pronounced "o", お represents a fixed mora sound rather than splitting into Onyomi and Kunyomi readings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using お includes おちゃ (ocha — green tea).
What is the stroke order rule for writing お on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 3 strokes of お (Hiragana 'o'), start with the お (—) and follow standard Japanese Hitsujun (筆順) principles: top to bottom (上から下) and left to right (左から右). Practice お 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!