ユ (yu)
Pronunciation
The character ユ represents the syllable 'yu', identical in pronunciation to hiragana ゆ. Common in loanwords for menu, uniform, news, interview, review, user, humor, and many compounds.
Stroke-by-Stroke Guide
ユ is written in two strokes. Stroke 1: a long vertical stroke that descends through the character. Stroke 2: a long horizontal stroke at the bottom, slightly curving upward at the right end. The character resembles a stylized lowercase 'u' rotated, or the kanji shape 二 with a vertical stem.
Common Words with ユ
- メニュー (menyuu) — menu
- ユニフォーム (yunifuォォmu) — uniform
- ニュース (nyuusu) — news
- インタビュー (intabyuu) — interview
- レビュー (rebyuu) — review
- ユーザー (yuuzaa) — user
- ユーモア (yuumoa) — humor
- ボリューム (boryuumu) — volume
- ユートピア (yuutopia) — utopia
- バリュー (baryuu) — value
- マニュアル (manyuaru) — manual
- ユニット (yunitto) — unit
How to Write ユ (yu) in Katakana
The katakana character ユ is romanized as "yu" and is written with 2 strokes. Like "you". Example word: ユニフォーム (yunifoomu) — uniform.
Stroke Order for ユ
When writing ユ, 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 ユ 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.