レ (re)
Pronunciation
The character レ represents the syllable 're', identical in pronunciation to hiragana れ. Extremely common in loanwords — restaurant, curry, lemon, report, record, lesson, and many proper nouns.
Stroke-by-Stroke Guide
レ is written in a single stroke. Begin in the upper left, descend in a short downward stroke, then turn sharply and sweep up and to the right in a long diagonal that ends with a small upward hook. The shape is a simple angular hook — like a stylized check mark.
Common Words with レ
- レストラン (resutoran) — restaurant
- カレー (karee) — curry
- レモン (remon) — lemon
- レポート (repooto) — report
- レコード (rekoodo) — record
- スレッド (sureddo) — thread
- レンタル (rentaru) — rental
- レッスン (ressun) — lesson
- レター (retaa) — letter
- レース (reesu) — lace / race
- レンガ (renga) — brick
- レーザー (reezaa) — laser
How to Write レ (re) in Katakana
The katakana character レ is romanized as "re" and is written with 1 stroke. Between "re" and "le" — quick tongue tap. Example word: レストラン (resutoran) — restaurant.
Stroke Order for レ
When writing レ, 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 レ 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.