ヨ (yo)
Pronunciation
The character ヨ represents the syllable 'yo', identical in pronunciation to hiragana よ. Common in loanwords for Europe, yoga, yacht, yogurt, mayonnaise, and proper nouns like New York.
Stroke-by-Stroke Guide
ヨ is written in three strokes. Stroke 1: a short horizontal line at the top. Stroke 2: a short vertical line at the left that descends through the character. Stroke 3: a long horizontal line at the bottom. Some renderings also include a middle horizontal — making the shape resemble the letter 'E' with the open side facing right.
Common Words with ヨ
- ヨーロッパ (yooroppa) — Europe
- ヨガ (yoga) — yoga
- ヨット (yotto) — yacht
- ヨーグルト (yooguruto) — yogurt
- マヨネーズ (mayoneezu) — mayonnaise
- ニューヨーク (nyuuyooku) — New York
- ヨーデル (yooderu) — yodel
- フィヨルド (fuィyorudo) — fjord
- ヨーキー (yookii) — Yorkie (dog breed)
- ヨイショ (yoisho) — heave-ho! (interjection)
How to Write ヨ (yo) in Katakana
The katakana character ヨ is romanized as "yo" and is written with 3 strokes. Like "yo" in "yoga". Example word: ヨーグルト (yooguruto) — yogurt.
Stroke Order for ヨ
When writing ヨ, 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 ヨ 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.