そ (so)
Pronunciation
The character そ represents the syllable 'so', a soft 's' followed by 'o'. Part of the さ-row. The shape has a distinctive zigzag or lightning-bolt flow.
Stroke-by-Stroke Guide
そ is written in a single stroke (sometimes drawn in two parts in handwriting). Begin at the upper right with a short diagonal mark dropping toward the lower left, then sweep back up to the right and continue in a flowing zigzag pattern down the character, ending with a small curve at the bottom. Keep the angles crisp.
Common Words with そ
- かわいそう (kawaisou) — poor / pitiable / pathetic
- うそ (uso) — lie / fib / falsehood
- そこ (soko) — bottom / sole
- そと (soto) — outside / exterior
- そば (soba) — near by / close by / right next to
- そん (son) — loss / damage / harm
- そで (sode) — sleeve
- そら (sora) — sky / the air / the heavens
- いそぐ (isogu) — to hurry / to rush / to hasten
- おそい (osoi) — slow
- おそう (osou) — to attack / to assail / to make an assault
- かいそう (kaisou) — recollection / retrospection / reflection
- かいそく (kaisoku) — high speed / rapidity
- かそ (kaso) — underpopulation / low population density / depopulation
- きそ (kiso) — foundation / basis
- きそく (kisoku) — rule / regulation
- ぎそう (gisou) — camouflage / disguise
- こくそ (kokuso) — accusation / complaint / charge
- さそう (sasou) — to invite / to ask / to call
- しそう (shisou) — thought / idea / ideology
How to Write そ (so) in Hiragana
The hiragana character そ is romanized as "so" and is written with 1 stroke. Like "so" in "sold". Example word: そら (sora) — sky.
Stroke Order for そ
When writing そ, 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 そ 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.