ヌ (nu)
Pronunciation
The character ヌ represents the syllable 'nu', identical in pronunciation to hiragana ぬ. Relatively uncommon in everyday loanwords — appears mostly in food terms (nougat, noodle) and a few imported items.
Stroke-by-Stroke Guide
ヌ is written in two strokes. Stroke 1: a short diagonal stroke at the upper right, slanting from upper right downward to the lower left. Stroke 2: a longer diagonal stroke that crosses through the lower portion of stroke 1, sweeping from upper left to lower right. The two strokes form an X-like crossing in the lower middle of the character.
Common Words with ヌ
- カヌー (kanuu) — canoe
- ヌード (nuudo) — nude (in art)
- ヌガー (nugaa) — nougat
- メヌエット (menuetto) — minuet (dance)
- ヌードル (nuudoru) — noodle
How to Write ヌ (nu) in Katakana
The katakana character ヌ is romanized as "nu" and is written with 2 strokes. Like "noo" in "noodle", but shorter. Example word: ヌードル (nuudoru) — noodle.
Stroke Order for ヌ
When writing ヌ, 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 ヌ 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.