しゃ (sha)
Pronunciation
The compound character しゃ represents the syllable 'sha', formed by combining し (shi) with a small ゃ. It is one of the most common yōon syllables in Japanese vocabulary.
Stroke-by-Stroke Guide
しゃ is written in four strokes: one for し plus three for the small ゃ. The small ゃ is tucked into the lower right area beside し's curving stroke.
Common Words with しゃ
- しゃりょう (sharyou) — vehicle / car / car
- いしゃ (isha) — doctor / physician
- かいしゃ (kaisha) — company / corporation / firm
- かいしゃく (kaishaku) — interpretation / explanation / reading
- かんしゃ (kansha) — thanks / gratitude / appreciation
- がくしゃ (gakusha) — scholar / academic / scientist
- きしゃ (kisha) — train
- さくしゃ (sakusha) — creator / author / writer
- しゃいん (shain) — company employee
- しゃかい (shakai) — society / public / community
- しゃこ (shako) — garage / carport / depot
- しゃしょう (shashou) — conductor
- しゃしん (shashin) — photograph / photo / picture
- しゃちょう (shachou) — company president / manager / director
- しゃっきん (shakkin) — debt / loan / liabilities
- しゃない (shanai) — inside a car
- しゃめん (shamen) — slope / slanting surface / bevel
- しゃりん (sharin) — wheel
- じしゃく (jishaku) — magnet
- せんしゃ (sensha) — tank
How to Write しゃ (sha) in Hiragana
The hiragana character しゃ is romanized as "sha" and is written with 4 strokes. Like "sha" in "shadow". Example word: しゃしん (shashin) — photo.
Stroke Order for しゃ
When writing しゃ, 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 しゃ 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.