How to Write ほ (Hiragana 'ho') — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 4-stroke writing sequence of the Hiragana (ひらがな) (Foundational Japanese Kana Syllabary) character ほ (“Hiragana 'ho'”), indexed under the ほ (—) radical. Practice ほ alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as ほん (hon — book).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (ほ)
Primary Radical (部首): ほ — —
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Foundational Japanese Kana Syllabary (Hiragana (ひらがな)). As a phonetic Hiragana (ひらがな) syllable pronounced "ho", ほ represents a fixed mora sound rather than splitting into Onyomi and Kunyomi readings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (4画): With only 4 strokes, ほ is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the ほ (—) 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), ほ conveys the core meaning “Hiragana 'ho'” and is built around the ほ (—) radical across 4 strokes (foundational low-stroke shape (1–5 strokes)). Reinforce ほ in memory by pairing its radical structure with real Jukugo vocabulary: ほん (hon — book).
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using ほ
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji ほ (FAQ)
How many strokes are in ほ and how is it structured?
The Japanese character ほ ("Hiragana 'ho'") is written with 4 strokes (4画) as a Hiragana (ひらがな) (Foundational Japanese Kana Syllabary) foundational low-stroke shape (1–5 strokes) indexed under the ほ (—) radical. With only 4 strokes, ほ is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the ほ (—) 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 ほ?
For ほ (Hiragana (ひらがな)), the Onyomi is — and the Kunyomi is ho. As a phonetic Hiragana (ひらがな) syllable pronounced "ho", ほ represents a fixed mora sound rather than splitting into Onyomi and Kunyomi readings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using ほ includes ほん (hon — book).
What is the stroke order rule for writing ほ on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 4 strokes of ほ (Hiragana 'ho'), start with the ほ (—) and follow standard Japanese Hitsujun (筆順) principles: top to bottom (上から下) and left to right (左から右). Practice ほ interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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