な (na)
Pronunciation
The character な represents the syllable 'na', a soft 'n' followed by 'a' as in 'father'. It is the first character of the な-row.
Stroke-by-Stroke Guide
な is written in four strokes. Stroke 1: a horizontal line at the top, written from left to right. Stroke 2: a long diagonal stroke that crosses through stroke 1 and sweeps down to the lower left. Stroke 3: a short detached vertical or diagonal mark on the upper right. Stroke 4: a curving stroke that loops down on the right side, forming a small closed shape. The right-side component is similar to た's right side but with different proportions.
Common Words with な
- なな (nana) — seven
- なかなか (nakanaka) — very / considerably / easily
- なのか (nanoka) — 7th day of the month
- なるほど (naruhodo) — I see / that's right / indeed
- さかな (sakana) — fish
- むなしい (munashii) — empty / void / vacant
- あな (ana) — hole / opening / orifice
- かたな (katana) — sword / katana
- こな (kona) — flour / meal / powder
- すな (suna) — sand / grit / fine gravel
- たな (tana) — shelf / ledge / rack
- つな (tsuna) — rope / cord / line
- な (na) — name / given name
- なえ (nae) — seedling / young plant
- なお (nao) — still / yet
- なか (naka) — relation / relationship
- なぞ (nazo) — riddle / puzzle / enigma
- なつ (natsu) — summer
- なに (nani) — what
- はな (hana) — flower / blossom / bloom
How to Write な (na) in Hiragana
The hiragana character な is romanized as "na" and is written with 4 strokes. Like "na" in "nacho". Example word: なまえ (namae) — name.
Stroke Order for な
When writing な, 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 な 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.