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HIRAGANA · CHARACTER GUIDE

ぬ (nu) in hiragana

Nu in hiragana is ぬ. Its long stroke ends in a small loop, which tells it apart from め.

Reading
nu
Type
nu
Katakana
ヌ
Strokes
2
Audio
see listening section
On this page

How ぬ is written, and why it is not め.

The full model: 2 strokes, numbered in order.

start end

Not to be confused with
め · meIts long stroke ends with no loop.

Memory hook: Picture two noodles crossing, the long one curving around and curling into a small loop at the lower right. Make your own · All 46 hiragana mnemonics

More hiragana activities

WRITE IT

How to write ぬ: stroke order

Shape: Round and a little wider than tall: a short slant on the left, crossed by one long stroke that swings round and ends in a small loop.

In this model, stroke 1 stops. Sources differ on how stroke 2 ends, so no ending is marked: copy the model. Japanese schools name three kinds of ending: Stop とめ, Hook はね, Sweep はらい. Textbooks and teachers differ on some.

  1. Stroke 1Stop とめ

    Starts far left of the vertical center line, well above the horizontal one, lower than stroke 2 will start. A steep slant down to the right, slightly curved, stopping in the lower half, still left of the vertical center line.

  2. Stroke 2

    Starts on the vertical center line, near the top. A long slant down to the left that crosses stroke 1 low down; turn at the bottom left, go back up through stroke 1 and across the slant, swing round in a big curve on the right, come down, tie a small loop at the lower right, and finish with a short tail to the lower right.

One mistake to avoid: stroke 2

Watch for
The long stroke ends in an open curve, without the small loop.
Fix
After the big curve, come down and tie a small loop, keeping its left end just right of the vertical center line; finish with a short tail, as in the model.
Done wrong, it can look like め (me).
Practice writingMake a writing sheetSee it on the stroke-order chart

Stroke diagrams adapted from KanjiVG, © Ulrich Apel and contributors, CC BY-SA 3.0. License and attribution.

READ IT

Read ぬ in print and in words.

ぬ in handwriting and three typefaces

  • Handwriting model
  • Textbook style
  • Print, plain (gothic)
  • Print, serif (mincho)

In every typeface ぬ’s long stroke still ends in a small loop. Copy the handwriting model.

Find ぬ inside a word.

  • inudogUp to the N row
  • tanukitanuki (raccoon dog)Up to the N row
  • nuguto take off (shoes, clothes)As in くつを ぬぐ (kutsu o nugu), to take off your shoes.
  • nuigurumistuffed toy

“Up to the N row” marks a word written only with kana from the vowels to the N row of the chart, so you can read it if you learn the chart in order.

The spaces in this page’s sentences only help you read; ordinary Japanese has none.

たぬき and ぬいぐるみ are usually written in kana; in everyday writing いぬ is 犬 and ぬぐ 脱ぐ. The others are in hiragana here for reading practice.

Read more words with ぬ

TELL THEM APART

ぬ or め?

ぬ · nuThe long stroke ends in a small loop at the lower right.
め · meIts long stroke ends with no loop.

Look at where the long stroke ends: ぬ curls into a small loop at the lower right, and め sweeps back to the left with no loop.

Open the guide for me (め)

A quick check

Four models, handwritten and printed: is each one ぬ or め? Only your first answer to each model counts.

YOUR NEXT STEP

Practice ぬ with め.

A short round of ぬ and め, the shapes this page compares.

Practice ぬ and めFlip them as flash cards

Practice the whole N row: な に ぬ ね のIt includes な, に, ね and の, which this page does not teach.

Learn ぬ with its group in lesson 5 · 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.

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

ぬ · nu

Nu in hiragana is ぬ. Its long stroke ends in a small loop, which tells it apart from め.

Writing model
1
2

Write it, stroke by stroke.

  1. Starts far left, high; a steep, slightly curved slant down to the right. — stop (とめ)
  2. Starts top center; slant down-left, back up, big curve, then a small loop.

Sources differ on how stroke 2 ends, so no ending is marked: copy the model.

Watch for: The long stroke ends in an open curve, without the small loop. Fix: After the big curve, come down and tie a small loop, keeping its left end just right of the vertical center line; finish with a short tail, as in the model.

いぬ · inu · dogたぬき · tanuki · tanuki (raccoon dog)ぬぐ · nugu · to take off (shoes, clothes)

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/nu/

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

  • ぬ nu

Example words

  • たぬき tanuki (raccoon dog)
  • ぬいぐるみ soft toy
  • いぬ dog
  • ぬぐ to take off (shoes, clothes)