ら (ra)
Pronunciation
The character ら represents the syllable 'ra', a soft Japanese 'r' followed by 'a' as in 'father'. The Japanese 'r' is a flap — a single tap of the tongue against the upper palate, somewhere between an English 'r', 'l', and 'd'. It is the first character of the ら-row.
Stroke-by-Stroke Guide
ら is written in two strokes. Stroke 1: a short curving stroke at the top, like a small accent or comma. Stroke 2: a long flowing curving stroke that begins below stroke 1, sweeps down and to the right, then curves around in a graceful arc that ends on the lower left with a small upward tail. The shape resembles a flowing 'b' or a curved hook.
Common Words with ら
- しはらい (shiharai) — payment
- とらえる (toraeru) — to catch / to capture / to seize
- あぶら (abura) — oil
- あらし (arashi) — storm / tempest
- から (kara) — shell / husk / hull
- からす (karasu) — crow / raven
- からだ (karada) — body
- がら (gara) — pattern / design
- くじら (kujira) — whale
- くら (kura) — warehouse / storehouse / cellar
- さくら (sakura) — cherry tree / cherry blossom / sakura
- さむらい (samurai) — warrior / samurai
- さら (sara) — plate / dish / platter
- たから (takara) — treasure
- てのひら (tenohira) — palm
- てら (tera) — temple
- とびら (tobira) — door / gate / opening
- とら (tora) — tiger
- はしら (hashira) — pillar / post
- はら (hara) — abdomen / belly / stomach
How to Write ら (ra) in Hiragana
The hiragana character ら is romanized as "ra" and is written with 2 strokes. Between "r" and "l" — tap tongue on roof of mouth. Example word: らいねん (rainen) — next year.
Stroke Order for ら
When writing ら, 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 ら 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.