How to Write こ (Hiragana 'ko') — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 2-stroke writing sequence of the Hiragana (ひらがな) (Foundational Japanese Kana Syllabary) character こ (“Hiragana 'ko'”), indexed under the こ (—) radical. Practice こ alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as これ (kore — this).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (こ)
Primary Radical (部首): こ — —
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Foundational Japanese Kana Syllabary (Hiragana (ひらがな)). As a phonetic Hiragana (ひらがな) syllable pronounced "ko", こ represents a fixed mora sound rather than splitting into Onyomi and Kunyomi readings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (2画): With only 2 strokes, こ is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the こ (—) 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), こ conveys the core meaning “Hiragana 'ko'” and is built around the こ (—) radical across 2 strokes (foundational low-stroke shape (1–5 strokes)). Reinforce こ in memory by pairing its radical structure with real Jukugo vocabulary: これ (kore — this).
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using こ
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji こ (FAQ)
How many strokes are in こ and how is it structured?
The Japanese character こ ("Hiragana 'ko'") 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 こ (—) radical. With only 2 strokes, こ is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the こ (—) 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 こ?
For こ (Hiragana (ひらがな)), the Onyomi is — and the Kunyomi is ko. As a phonetic Hiragana (ひらがな) syllable pronounced "ko", こ represents a fixed mora sound rather than splitting into Onyomi and Kunyomi readings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using こ includes これ (kore — this).
What is the stroke order rule for writing こ on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 2 strokes of こ (Hiragana 'ko'), start with the こ (—) and follow standard Japanese Hitsujun (筆順) principles: top to bottom (上から下) and left to right (左から右). Practice こ interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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