を (wo)
Pronunciation
The character を represents the syllable 'wo', though it is pronounced essentially identically to 'o' (the same as お) in modern Japanese. Its sole modern use is as the direct-object particle, marking what a verb acts upon — one of the most common particles in the language. You'll never see を inside ordinary vocabulary words; it appears only as a grammatical particle.
Stroke-by-Stroke Guide
を is written in three strokes. Stroke 1: a short horizontal line near the top. Stroke 2: a long diagonal stroke that crosses through stroke 1 and sweeps down to the lower left. Stroke 3: a long flowing curving stroke that begins at the upper right, crosses through the middle of the character, sweeps down and to the right, and ends with a small upward hook on the lower right.
Common Words with を
- きをつけて (kiwotsukete) — take care / be careful
- くちぶえをふく (kuchibuewofuku) — to whistle
- はをみがく (hawomigaku) — to brush one's teeth
How to Write を (wo) in Hiragana
The hiragana character を is romanized as "wo" and is written with 3 strokes. Pronounced like "o" — used only as a particle. Example word: パンを食べる — eat bread (particle).
Stroke Order for を
When writing を, 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 を 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.