ふ (fu)
Pronunciation
The character ふ represents the syllable 'fu', a soft 'f' followed by 'u'. The Japanese 'f' is bilabial — pronounced with both lips, not by biting the lower lip as in English. It sounds like a gentle blowing of air. Part of the は-row.
Stroke-by-Stroke Guide
ふ is written in four strokes. Stroke 1: a short curving stroke at the top, like a small dot or accent. Stroke 2: a curving stroke that begins below stroke 1, sweeps to the right, then curves down and back to form a closed shape on the upper left. Stroke 3: a small detached mark on the lower left. Stroke 4: a small detached mark on the lower right. The character has a balanced, four-part structure.
Common Words with ふ
- ふつか (futsuka) — 2nd day of the month
- ふう (fuu) — seal
- ふえ (fue) — flute / fife / pipe
- ふく (fuku) — clothes / clothing / dress
- ふさ (fusa) — tuft / fringe / tassel
- ふだ (fuda) — ticket / token / check
- ふち (fuchi) — rim / brim / edge
- ふで (fude) — writing brush / paintbrush / pen
- ふね (fune) — ship / boat / watercraft
- ふゆ (fuyu) — winter
- ふくろ (fukuro) — bag / sack / pouch
- いふく (ifuku) — clothes
- おうふく (oufuku) — making a round trip / going and returning / coming and going
- かいふく (kaifuku) — restoration / recovery / rehabilitation
- がくふ (gakufu) — score / sheet music
- きふ (kifu) — contribution / donation
- こうふく (koufuku) — happiness / well-being / joy
- こくふく (kokufuku) — conquest / overcoming / surmounting
- さいふ (saifu) — wallet / purse / coin purse
- せいふ (seifu) — government / administration / ministry
How to Write ふ (fu) in Hiragana
The hiragana character ふ is romanized as "fu" and is written with 4 strokes. Between "fu" and "hu" — blow air softly. Example word: ふゆ (fuyu) — winter.
Stroke Order for ふ
When writing ふ, 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 ふ 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.