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