ぷ (pu)
Pronunciation
The character ぷ represents the syllable 'pu', a hard 'p' followed by 'u'. It is ふ with the handakuten that hardens 'h' to 'p'.
Stroke-by-Stroke Guide
ぷ is written in five strokes. The first four strokes are identical to ふ (small accent at top, curving stroke below, two small detached marks at the bottom). Then add the handakuten: Stroke 5: a small circle at the upper right of the character. The circle transforms 'fu' into 'pu'.
Common Words with ぷ
- きっぷ (kippu) — ticket
- てんぷく (tenpuku) — overturning / capsizing
- ちんぷ (chinpu) — stale / hackneyed / clichéd
- てんぷ (tenpu) — attaching / appending / affixing
- せんぷうき (senpuuki) — electric fan
- しっぷう (shippuu) — gale / strong wind / swift wind
- せっぷく (seppuku) — seppuku / harakiri / ritual suicide by disembowelment
- せんぷく (senpuku) — concealment / hiding / ambush
- ねんぷ (nenpu) — chronological record
- めんぷ (menpu) — cotton cloth / cotton material
- せんぷう (senpuu) — whirlwind
- にんぷ (ninpu) — pregnant woman
- いっぷたさい (ipputasai) — polygamy / polygyny
- けいたいすとらっぷ (keitaisutorappu) —
How to Write ぷ (pu) in Hiragana
The hiragana character ぷ is romanized as "pu" and is written with 5 strokes. Like "poo" in "pool", but shorter. Example word: てんぷら (tenpura) — tempura.
Stroke Order for ぷ
When writing ぷ, 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 ぷ 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.