え (e)
Pronunciation
The character え represents the vowel 'e', pronounced like the 'e' in 'pet' or 'bed'. It is one of the five basic Japanese vowels. The sound is short and crisp — never drawn out unless explicitly doubled (ええ) or extended with い (えい).
Stroke-by-Stroke Guide
え is written in two strokes. Stroke 1: a short, slightly slanted horizontal mark at the top, similar to the top of う. Stroke 2: a flowing line that begins as a downward stroke, sweeps right to form a horizontal middle, then loops down and to the left in a graceful curve, ending at the lower right with a small rightward tail. The body of え has a distinctive zigzag flow.
Common Words with え
- とらえる (toraeru) — to catch / to capture / to seize
- えき (eki) — railway station / train station
- こえ (koe) — voice
- すえ (sue) — end / tip / top
- つくえ (tsukue) — desk
- えだ (eda) — branch / bough / limb
- なえ (nae) — seedling / young plant
- ふえ (fue) — flute / fife / pipe
- えり (eri) — collar / lapel / neckband
- いえ (ie) — house / residence / dwelling
- うえ (ue) — above / over / up
- まえ (mae) — in front / before
- えん (en) — garden / orchard / park
- えいこう (eikou) — glory
- こうえい (kouei) — public management
- えいが (eiga) — movie / film / motion picture
- えいご (eigo) — English
- えがお (egao) — smiling face / smile
- えいせい (eisei) — satellite / moon
- おしえ (oshie) — teaching / instruction / teachings
How to Write え (e) in Hiragana
The hiragana character え is romanized as "e" and is written with 2 strokes. Like "e" in "pet". Example word: えき (eki) — station.
Stroke Order for え
When writing え, follow the numbered stroke order shown in the reference character above. Japanese characters are generally written from left to right and top to bottom. Correct stroke order improves readability and writing speed.
Practice Tips
- Print this sheet on standard 8.5" × 11" letter paper
- Start by tracing the light grey guide characters in the first column
- Then practice writing え freehand in the empty squares
- Pay attention to stroke direction and order — follow the numbered guide
- For interactive practice with animations, visit the main study page
About Hiragana
Hiragana is one of the three Japanese writing systems. It consists of 46 basic characters, each representing a syllable. Hiragana is used for native Japanese words, grammar particles, and verb endings. Learning correct stroke order is essential for proper Japanese handwriting.