HIRAGANA · CHARACTER GUIDE
あ (a) in hiragana
The letter a in hiragana is あ, the first character of the chart.
- Reading
- a
- Type
a- Katakana
- ア
- Strokes
- 3
- Audio
- see listening section
On this page
How あ is written, and why it is not お.
The full model: 3 strokes, numbered in order.
start end
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Memory hook: Picture a gymnast swinging around a pole through a crossbar: the crossbar is stroke 1, the pole is stroke 2 and the swing is stroke 3. Make your own · All 46 hiragana mnemonics
More hiragana activities
WRITE IT
How to write あ: stroke order
Shape: Round and fairly large, with a little space left all round.
In this model, strokes 1 and 2 stop and stroke 3 sweeps. Japanese schools name three kinds of ending: Ending: Stop とめ, Ending: Hook はね, Ending: Sweep はらい. Textbooks and teachers differ on some.
Stroke 1Ending: Stop とめ
Starts left of the vertical center line, near the top. A line rising slightly to the right.
Stroke 2Ending: Stop とめ
Starts just left of the vertical center line, above stroke 1. Down with a slight curve, bulging a little to the left, and crossing stroke 1 near its middle.
Stroke 3Ending: Sweep はらい
Starts right of stroke 2 and below stroke 1, about as far from each. Down to the left across stroke 2, round in a small loop, back across stroke 2 low down, then a wide curve round to the right; lift the pen gradually as it ends.
One mistake to avoid: strokes 2 and 3
- Watch for
- The lower space inside the loop closes up.
- Fix
- Keep stroke 2’s slight leftward curve (not dead straight), and let stroke 3 cross it as low as you can, so the space inside the loop stays open.
Stroke diagrams adapted from KanjiVG, © Ulrich Apel and contributors, CC BY-SA 3.0. License and attribution.
READ IT
Read あ in print and in words.
あ in handwriting and three typefaces
Handwriting model Textbook style Print, plain (gothic) Print, serif (mincho)
Printed あ keeps its three strokes, but not the handwriting’s exact shapes. Copy the handwriting model.
Find あ inside a word.
- あうauto meet. Vowels only
- あおaoblue. Vowels only
- あさasamorning
- あしashifoot; leg
“Vowels only” marks a word written only with the five vowels, あ い う え お.
In everyday writing most of these words use kanji (あさ is usually 朝); here they are in hiragana for reading practice.
TELL THEM APART
あ or お?
Check the upper right: お has a separate short mark there, and あ does not.
A quick check
Four models, handwritten and printed: is each one あ or お? Only your first answer to each model counts. The models are pictures; each one is described in words after you answer.
This check changed in another tab. It now shows your latest answers.
Which reading matches this model?
Check finished.
A short practice with pictures of the shapes. It does not test pronunciation, listening or long-term recall.
YOUR NEXT STEP
Practice あ with お.
A short round of あ and お, the shapes this page compares.
Practice all five vowels: あ い う え おIt includes い, う and え, which this page does not teach.
Learn あ with its group in lesson 1 · Try it on the hiragana keyboard
Sources, artwork and review status
Teaching content on this page is a draft: a Japanese educator has not reviewed it yet. Generated pronunciation audio is available in the listening section.
Stroke models and drawings: KanjiVG, © Ulrich Apel and contributors, CC BY-SA 3.0. License and attribution.
Two typefaces are served from this site: Klee One and Noto Serif JP (SIL Open Font License). The gothic sample uses this device’s own font.
- Japan Foundation: MARUGOTO-NO-KOTOBA vocabulary (readings and meanings)
- Jisho.org (JMdict): readings and common spellings
- syoka-koyoblog (penmanship): あ
- z-shogei calligraphy school: あ, め and ぬ
- Matsumoto Shoeido calligraphy school: あ
- Japanese-Lesson.com: あ い う え お
- Japan Foundation’s Irodori kana materials (spelling reference)
Draft teaching content · Japanese educator review pending · Approved generated audio is available in the listening section; romaji is a reading aid, not a pronunciation guide.
minimachi · HIRAGANA CHARACTER CARD
あ · a
The letter a in hiragana is あ, the first character of the chart.
Write it, stroke by stroke.
- Starts left of center, near the top; a line rising slightly right. — stop (とめ)
- Starts above stroke 1, near the center line; curves down across it. — stop (とめ)
- Starts right of stroke 2; across it, round, back across it, then right. — sweep (はらい)
Watch for: The lower space inside the loop closes up. Fix: Keep stroke 2’s slight leftward curve (not dead straight), and let stroke 3 cross it as low as you can, so the space inside the loop stays open.
Trace, copy, then cover the model and write from memory.
Stroke model: KanjiVG, © Ulrich Apel and contributors · CC BY-SA 3.0 · kanjivg.tagaini.net · license: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Draft teaching content; Japanese educator review pending. Generated audio: see full guide.
Full guide and sources: minimachi.com/hiragana/a/
Listen to the sounds and examples on this page
Generated speech: Google Cloud Text-to-Speech. Checked by a native Japanese speaker. Audio is available only for items with a Listen button. Listen plays at normal speed; Slow gives more listening time at the original pitch. Sound hints are drafts pending educator review.
Kana sounds
- あ a
Example words
- あう to meet
- あさ morning
- あお blue
- あし foot; leg