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