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