How to Write ウ (Katakana 'u') — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 3-stroke writing sequence of the Katakana (カタカナ) (Foundational Japanese Kana Syllabary) character ウ (“Katakana 'u'”), indexed under the ウ (—) radical. Practice ウ alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as ウール (uuru — wool).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (ウ)
Primary Radical (部首): ウ — —
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Foundational Japanese Kana Syllabary (Katakana (カタカナ)). As a phonetic Katakana (カタカナ) syllable pronounced "u", ウ represents a fixed mora sound rather than splitting into Onyomi and Kunyomi readings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (3画): With only 3 strokes, ウ is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the ウ (—) 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 Katakana (カタカナ) (Foundational Japanese Kana Syllabary), ウ conveys the core meaning “Katakana 'u'” and is built around the ウ (—) radical across 3 strokes (foundational low-stroke shape (1–5 strokes)). Reinforce ウ in memory by pairing its radical structure with real Jukugo vocabulary: ウール (uuru — wool).
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using ウ
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji ウ (FAQ)
How many strokes are in ウ and how is it structured?
The Japanese character ウ ("Katakana 'u'") is written with 3 strokes (3画) as a Katakana (カタカナ) (Foundational Japanese Kana Syllabary) foundational low-stroke shape (1–5 strokes) indexed under the ウ (—) radical. With only 3 strokes, ウ is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the ウ (—) 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 ウ?
For ウ (Katakana (カタカナ)), the Onyomi is — and the Kunyomi is u. As a phonetic Katakana (カタカナ) syllable pronounced "u", ウ represents a fixed mora sound rather than splitting into Onyomi and Kunyomi readings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using ウ includes ウール (uuru — wool).
What is the stroke order rule for writing ウ on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 3 strokes of ウ (Katakana 'u'), start with the ウ (—) and follow standard Japanese Hitsujun (筆順) principles: top to bottom (上から下) and left to right (左から右). Practice ウ interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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