け (ke)
Pronunciation
The character け represents the syllable 'ke', a hard 'k' followed by 'e' as in 'pet'. Part of the か-row.
Stroke-by-Stroke Guide
け is written in three strokes. Stroke 1: a short vertical line on the far left, slanting slightly. Stroke 2: a longer horizontal line that crosses through the upper portion of stroke 1 and extends to the right. Stroke 3: a long vertical line on the right side that curves to the left at the bottom, ending with a small hook. The result is a balanced, blocky shape.
Common Words with け
- きずつける (kizutsukeru) — to wound / to injure
- でかける (dekakeru) — to go out / to leave / to depart
- いけ (ike) — pond
- け (ke) — hair
- たけ (take) — bamboo
- けもの (kemono) — beast / brute / animal
- けむり (kemuri) — smoke / fumes
- わけ (wake) — reason / cause / grounds
- かけじく (kakejiku) — hanging scroll
- ろけん (roken) — discovery / detection / exposure
- がけ (gake) — cliff / precipice
- ほとけ (hotoke) — Buddha / Shakyamuni
- かけ (kake) — bet / wager / stake
- けいかい (keikai) — vigilance / caution / alertness
- けいかく (keikaku) — plan / project / schedule
- けいこう (keikou) — tendency / trend / inclination
- けいこく (keikoku) — warning / caution / admonition
- こうけい (koukei) — scene / spectacle / sight
- ごうけい (goukei) — sum total / total amount
- けいさい (keisai) — publication / carrying / running
How to Write け (ke) in Hiragana
The hiragana character け is romanized as "ke" and is written with 3 strokes. Like "ke" in "kept". Example word: けいたい (keitai) — cellphone.
Stroke Order for け
When writing け, 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 け 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.