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