How to Write ろ (Hiragana 'ro') — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 1-stroke writing sequence of the Hiragana (ひらがな) (Foundational Japanese Kana Syllabary) character ろ (“Hiragana 'ro'”), indexed under the ろ (—) radical. Practice ろ alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as ろうそく (rousoku — candle).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (ろ)
Primary Radical (部首): ろ — —
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Foundational Japanese Kana Syllabary (Hiragana (ひらがな)). As a phonetic Hiragana (ひらがな) syllable pronounced "ro", ろ represents a fixed mora sound rather than splitting into Onyomi and Kunyomi readings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (1画): With only 1 stroke, ろ is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the ろ (—) 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), ろ conveys the core meaning “Hiragana 'ro'” and is built around the ろ (—) radical across 1 strokes (foundational low-stroke shape (1–5 strokes)). Reinforce ろ in memory by pairing its radical structure with real Jukugo vocabulary: ろうそく (rousoku — candle).
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using ろ
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji ろ (FAQ)
How many strokes are in ろ and how is it structured?
The Japanese character ろ ("Hiragana 'ro'") 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 ろ (—) radical. With only 1 stroke, ろ is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the ろ (—) 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 ろ?
For ろ (Hiragana (ひらがな)), the Onyomi is — and the Kunyomi is ro. As a phonetic Hiragana (ひらがな) syllable pronounced "ro", ろ represents a fixed mora sound rather than splitting into Onyomi and Kunyomi readings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using ろ includes ろうそく (rousoku — candle).
What is the stroke order rule for writing ろ on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 1 strokes of ろ (Hiragana 'ro'), start with the ろ (—) and follow standard Japanese Hitsujun (筆順) principles: top to bottom (上から下) and left to right (左から右). Practice ろ 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
View Full Hiragana (ひらがな) Kanji List →Unlock All 2,000+ JLPT N5–N1 Kanji, AI Sensei & Unlimited Genkō Yōshi PDF Books
Get lifetime access to all 2,136 Jōyō Kanji (JLPT N5–N1), AI Kanji Sensei mnemonics, and unlimited Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheets for a one-time payment of $17.99 USD (10% OFF the $19.99 Lifetime Pro Pass with promo code KANJI10). Zero monthly subscriptions!