フ (fu)
Pronunciation
The character フ represents the syllable 'fu', identical in pronunciation to hiragana ふ. The Japanese 'f' is bilabial — gentle lip contact, not lip-and-teeth as in English. Common in loanwords for fork, France, fruit, golf, and many proper nouns.
Stroke-by-Stroke Guide
フ is written in a single stroke. Begin in the upper left with a short horizontal line, then turn down and to the right in a smooth angled stroke that descends and curves toward the lower right. The shape resembles a stylized 'フ' hook — like a numeric 7 with a softer bottom.
Common Words with フ
- フォーク (fuォォku) — fork
- フランス (furansu) — France
- フライト (furaito) — flight
- フライドポテト (furaidopoteto) — french fries
- フルーツ (furuutsu) — fruit
- フィルム (fuィrumu) — film
- ゴルフ (gorufu) — golf
- ファッション (fuァsshon) — fashion
- フィット (fuィtto) — fit
- ナイフ (naifu) — knife
- フェンス (fuェnsu) — fence
- フェスティバル (fuェsutibaru) — festival
How to Write フ (fu) in Katakana
The katakana character フ is romanized as "fu" and is written with 1 stroke. Between "fu" and "hu" — blow air softly. Example word: フォーク (fooku) — fork.
Stroke Order for フ
When writing フ, 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 フ 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.