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