ア (a)
Pronunciation
The character ア represents the vowel sound 'a', identical in pronunciation to the hiragana あ — like the 'a' in 'father'. Katakana characters like ア are used primarily for foreign loanwords, scientific terms, and stylistic emphasis. ア appears in countless loanwords from English and other languages.
Stroke-by-Stroke Guide
ア is written in two strokes. Stroke 1: a short horizontal line at the top, written from left to right with a slight downward angle at the right end. Stroke 2: a long curving stroke that begins from the right end of stroke 1, sweeps down through the middle of the character, then curves to the lower left, ending with a small inward hook. The character is more angular than its hiragana counterpart あ.
Common Words with ア
- アイス (aisu) — ice cream
- アメリカ (amerika) — America
- アパート (apaato) — apartment
- アルバイト (arubaito) — part-time job (from German "Arbeit")
- アニメ (anime) — anime / animation
- アジア (ajia) — Asia
- アイデア (aidea) — idea
- アイドル (aidoru) — idol (entertainer)
- アドレス (adoresu) — address (email or web)
- アクセス (akusesu) — access
- アート (aato) — art
- アクション (akushon) — action
How to Write ア (a) in Katakana
The katakana character ア is romanized as "a" and is written with 2 strokes. Like "a" in "father". Example word: アイス (aisu) — ice cream.
Stroke Order for ア
When writing ア, 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 ア 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 Katakana
Katakana is one of the three Japanese writing systems. It consists of 46 basic characters, each representing a syllable. Katakana is used for foreign loanwords, scientific terms, and emphasis. Learning correct stroke order is essential for proper Japanese handwriting.