ソ (so)
Pronunciation
The character ソ represents the syllable 'so', identical in pronunciation to hiragana そ. Take care: ソ closely resembles ン (n) — but ソ's strokes go from upper right to lower left (like a downward-sloping accent), while ン's strokes go from lower left to upper right. Common in loanwords (sofa, sauce, software).
Stroke-by-Stroke Guide
ソ is written in two strokes. Stroke 1: a short curving stroke at the upper right, going from upper right to lower left (like a small downward accent or tick). Stroke 2: a long curving stroke that begins from the upper area and sweeps down and to the lower left, ending with a smooth tail. The strokes' direction (upper-right to lower-left) is what distinguishes ソ from ン.
Common Words with ソ
- ソファ (sofuァ) — sofa / couch
- ソース (soosu) — sauce
- ソーセージ (sooseeji) — sausage
- ソフト (sofuto) — software / soft
- ソロ (soro) — solo
- ソーダ (sooda) — soda
- ソウル (souru) — Seoul (city) / soul
- ソング (songu) — song
- ソーシャル (soosharu) — social
- ソリューション (soryuushon) — solution
- ソムリエ (somurie) — sommelier
- ソナタ (sonata) — sonata
How to Write ソ (so) in Katakana
The katakana character ソ is romanized as "so" and is written with 2 strokes. Like "so" in "sold". Example word: ソファ (sofa) — sofa.
Stroke Order for ソ
When writing ソ, 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 ソ 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.