u

Hiragana う (u)

  • Reads asu
  • ScriptHiragana
  • Katakana pair
  • Rowvowel

Remember it

A bird's head tipped back, saying 'oo' at the sky.

Words that use it

  • うみ umi sea
  • うし ushi cow

Don't confuse it with

う has a separate tick above the curve; つ is one unbroken stroke. If your pen left the paper, it is う.

Watch out

After お, a う usually just lengthens the vowel rather than adding a syllable. とうきょう is Tō-kyō, two long beats, not to-u-kyo-u.