ひらがなStroke & Genkō Yōshi Practice Packet
All 46 basic Hiragana, row by row · numbered stroke order · 2 trace + 6 practice squares per character
Study the shape
Start at ①, ②, ③…
Go over the gray
Use the + guides
あ行a-row
ikigai.study · Hiragana packet✎ あ Bar → vertical → big loop. vs. お: only お has the floating dot.
✎ い Left stroke is longer with a tiny upward hook; right stroke is short. vs. り (ri).
✎ う Short dash on top, then one hooked curve. vs. つ (tsu): う has the top dash.
✎ え Dash, then a zig-zag with a wavy foot. vs. ん (n): え has the top dash.
✎ お Bar → vertical that loops → floating dot at top right. vs. あ.
Read & Write Word Check · あ行
Only uses kana you have learned so far① Read it — write romaji & meaning
- あいromaji meaning
- いえromaji meaning
② Write it in Hiragana
- ue
above / up - aoi
blue
Answers: あい = ai (love) · いえ = ie (house) · ue = うえ · aoi = あおい
か行ka-row
ikigai.study · Hiragana packet✎ か Bent stroke with a hook, slash, then a dot on the right — like カ plus a dot.
✎ き Two bars, a slant through them, then a separate bottom curve. vs. さ: き has 2 bars.
✎ く One stroke, like a bird’s beak “<” opening to the right.
✎ け Left vertical, short bar, then a long drop. vs. は (ha): け has no loop.
✎ こ Two short horizontals; the top one ends with a little hook.
Read & Write Word Check · か行
Only uses kana you have learned so far① Read it — write romaji & meaning
- かおromaji meaning
- えきromaji meaning
② Write it in Hiragana
- akai
red - kiku
to listen
Answers: かお = kao (face) · えき = eki (station) · akai = あかい · kiku = きく
さ行sa-row
ikigai.study · Hiragana packet✎ さ Bar, slant, then a bottom curve opening right like “c” (fonts may join it). vs. き & ち.
✎ し One stroke: straight down, then curve up to the right like a fishhook. Say “shi,” not “si.”
✎ す Long bar, then a vertical that loops on the left and drops away.
✎ せ Long bar, short right vertical with a hook, then a left vertical that curves right.
✎ そ One stroke: a small zig-zag on top flowing into a “c” curve.
Read & Write Word Check · さ行
Only uses kana you have learned so far① Read it — write romaji & meaning
- すしromaji meaning
- あさromaji meaning
② Write it in Hiragana
- kasa
umbrella - oishii
delicious
Answers: すし = sushi (sushi) · あさ = asa (morning) · kasa = かさ · oishii = おいしい
た行ta-row
ikigai.study · Hiragana packet✎ た A cross on the left (like ナ), then a small こ on the right.
✎ ち Bar, then a slant into a belly bulging right like the number 5. vs. さ & ら.
✎ つ One wave curling down to the right. vs. う (no dash) & し (opposite curve). Say “tsu.”
✎ て One stroke: a bar that sweeps down into a backwards “c.”
✎ と Short slanted tick, then a curve sweeping left and back right.
Read & Write Word Check · た行
Only uses kana you have learned so far① Read it — write romaji & meaning
- くつromaji meaning
- ちかてつromaji meaning
② Write it in Hiragana
- takai
tall / expensive - soto
outside
Answers: くつ = kutsu (shoes) · ちかてつ = chikatetsu (subway) · takai = たかい · soto = そと
な行na-row
ikigai.study · Hiragana packet✎ な Bar, slant, small dot, then a vertical that ends in a loop.
✎ に Vertical with a hook, then a small こ on the right. vs. こ & け.
✎ ぬ Slash, then a long stroke that ends in a closed loop. vs. め: only ぬ has the loop.
✎ ね Vertical, then a zig-zag ending in a loop. vs. れ (kick) & わ (round).
✎ の One swirl: slash down-left, then circle up and around clockwise.
Read & Write Word Check · な行
Only uses kana you have learned so far① Read it — write romaji & meaning
- いぬromaji meaning
- なつromaji meaning
② Write it in Hiragana
- neko
cat - okane
money
Answers: いぬ = inu (dog) · なつ = natsu (summer) · neko = ねこ · okane = おかね
は行ha-row
ikigai.study · Hiragana packet✎ は Left vertical, one bar, then a vertical ending in a loop. vs. ほ (2 bars). As a particle, read “wa.”
✎ ひ One stroke: a wide grin — left end tucked in, right end raised.
✎ ふ Four pieces: top hook, center curve, left dot, right dot. Soft “f” — lips barely touch.
✎ へ One stroke: a little hill — short climb, long slope. As a particle, read “e.”
✎ ほ Left vertical, two bars, then a vertical ending in a loop. vs. は & ま.
Read & Write Word Check · は行
Only uses kana you have learned so far① Read it — write romaji & meaning
- はなromaji meaning
- ひとromaji meaning
② Write it in Hiragana
- fune
boat - hoshi
star
Answers: はな = hana (flower) · ひと = hito (person) · fune = ふね · hoshi = ほし
ま行ma-row
ikigai.study · Hiragana packet✎ ま Two bars, then a vertical ending in a loop. vs. ほ: ま has no left vertical.
✎ み First stroke bends, loops and runs right; second stroke slashes through the tail.
✎ む Bar, a vertical that loops and swings right, then a dot at the top right.
✎ め Slash, then a long stroke curving round with an open tail. vs. ぬ & あ.
✎ も Write the hooked vertical (like し) FIRST, then the two bars across it.
Read & Write Word Check · ま行
Only uses kana you have learned so far① Read it — write romaji & meaning
- みみromaji meaning
- むしromaji meaning
② Write it in Hiragana
- momo
peach - atama
head
Answers: みみ = mimi (ear) · むし = mushi (bug / insect) · momo = もも · atama = あたま
や行ya-row
ikigai.study · Hiragana packet✎ や Hooked curve, a small dot, then a long slant through the curve.
✎ ゆ A curved stroke with a loop, then one long vertical through the middle.
✎ よ Short bar on the right, then a vertical ending in a loop. vs. ま (2 bars).
Read & Write Word Check · や行
Only uses kana you have learned so far① Read it — write romaji & meaning
- やまromaji meaning
- ゆきromaji meaning
② Write it in Hiragana
- heya
room - yomu
to read
Answers: やま = yama (mountain) · ゆき = yuki (snow) · heya = へや · yomu = よむ
ら行ra-row
ikigai.study · Hiragana packet✎ ら Short dot-slash, then a curve bulging right. vs. ち: ら starts with a dot, not a bar.
✎ り Short left stroke, then a longer right stroke dropping down-left. vs. い.
✎ る One stroke: zig-zag down, then a loop at the bottom. vs. ろ: る has a loop.
✎ れ Vertical, then a zig-zag ending in a kick up. vs. ね (loop) & わ (round).
✎ ろ One stroke: like る but the bottom stays open — no loop.
Read & Write Word Check · ら行
Only uses kana you have learned so far① Read it — write romaji & meaning
- さくらromaji meaning
- くるまromaji meaning
② Write it in Hiragana
- sora
sky - iro
color
Answers: さくら = sakura (cherry blossom) · くるま = kuruma (car) · sora = そら · iro = いろ
わ行・んwa-row + n
ikigai.study · Hiragana packet✎ わ Vertical, then a zig-zag ending in a round curve. vs. ね & れ.
✎ を Bar, slant with a turn, then a separate curve. Read “o” — used only as the object particle.
✎ ん One stroke: down-slash, then a bump and a tail — like a cursive “n.” vs. そ & え.
Read & Write Word Check · わ行・ん
Only uses kana you have learned so far① Read it — write romaji & meaning
- わたしromaji meaning
- にほんromaji meaning
② Write it in Hiragana
- kawa
river - hon o yomu
read a book
Answers: わたし = watashi (I / me) · にほん = nihon (Japan) · kawa = かわ · hon o yomu = ほんをよむ