Hiragana "Yu" Coloring Pages

The "Yu" in "Yukidaruma"

The letter on this coloring page is the Hiragana "Yu".
The word is "snowman". The picture on the left of the first sheet is a snowman made by stacking a big snowball and a small snowball.
It wears a bucket hat on its head, a scarf around its neck, and its arms are made of tree branches.
It looks so happy with its round eyes, carrot nose, and big smile!

Hiragana "Yu" comes from the kanji "由"

Hiragana "Yu" got its current shape long ago when people started writing the kanji "由" in a fast, curvy way.
The katakana "Yu" was also born from the very same "由"!
The square shape of "由" softened and rounded out to become Hiragana "Yu".

Tips for writing Hiragana "Yu"

You can write Hiragana "Yu" in 2 strokes.
For the 1st stroke, draw a line down on the left, loop up to the top right, and make a big, round curve.
For the 2nd stroke, draw a long line straight down through the middle, and sweep it down to the left at the end.
The secret is to draw the 2nd stroke so it goes right through the middle of the 1st stroke's loop.
Try to use the whole box so your loop does not get too small!

The second sheet is full of words that start with Hiragana "Yu"

The second coloring page has a big Hiragana "Yu" in the middle, surrounded by pictures of words that start with Hiragana "Yu".
You can find hand fingers, a yukata to wear for summer festivals, a teacup for drinking tea, and a post office that takes care of letters.
A snowman is also in the corner of the second page. Try to find it!

Let's play with words that start with Hiragana "Yu"

Other words that start with "yu" include yume (dream), yuyake (sunset), yuri (lily), and yudetamago (boiled egg).
Sometimes, Hiragana "Yu" is written small and put together with other letters, like in "kyu" or "shu".
Let's see how many words with Hiragana "Yu" you can say with someone at home!

How to enjoy the 2 coloring pages

In the 1st page, you can color a snowman and a big "ゆ", and practice writing "ゆ" by tracing it.
In the 2nd page, you can color while looking for words that start with "ゆ", like fingers (yubi) and yukata.
Some picture names on the 2nd page are long words, like "post office" (yuubinkyoku).
Try reading them slowly while pointing at each letter with your finger!

Color the Big Hiragana "Yu" Any Way You Like

Try coloring inside the lines of the big Hiragana "Yu" at the top right with your favorite colors.
If you use different colors for the first stroke and the second stroke, you can easily see how the two lines cross over each other.
It would also look wonderful if you color Hiragana "Yu" light blue or blue to match the snow!

Use the White Space for the Snowman

Leave the snowman's body white!
If you add shadows just along the edges with light blue or light gray, it will look like round snowballs.
Bright colors will stand out, like a red or blue bucket and a red and green striped scarf!
Color the carrot nose orange, and color the wooden branch arms brown.
If you color the sky around it light blue and leave the snowflakes white, it will look just like a snowy day.

Make the Yukata Look Pretty on Page 2

On the second page, you can make the yukata look pretty by coloring the background navy blue or light blue, and the flower patterns pink or yellow.
We recommend green or brown for the teacup, and red for the post office mark!

Trace Each Letter Carefully One by One

In the box at the bottom right, there are 8 light gray Hiragana "Yu".
Hold your pencil the right way, and trace slowly over the gray lines so you do not go outside them.
Use the lines in the middle of the box as your guide to balance your letter nicely.
For the long second stroke, keep your grip steady all the way to the end, then sweep smoothly away!
Compare each letter you write with the big model Hiragana "Yu".

Japanese Snowmen Have 2 Balls

In Japan, snowmen are usually made by stacking 2 snowballs.
This is because they look like round daruma dolls, which do not have arms or legs.
In other countries, people often make snowmen with 3 snowballs to show the head, body, and legs.

Snow Crystals Have Six Corners

If you look at falling snow through a magnifying glass, you might see beautiful shapes!
Snow crystals are always based on a shape with 6 corners.
People say it is very hard to find two snow crystals that look exactly the same.

Snow That Packs Easy and Snow That Doesn't

Wet snow with lots of water packs together easily, so it is great for making snowmen.
On super cold days, the dry and fluffy snow will not pack together easily when you touch it.
On a snowy day, try touching the snow with your hands to see what kind it is!

What Is a "Daruma"?

The "daruma" in the Japanese word for snowman comes from a round, red daruma doll ornament.
Most daruma dolls are made to pop right back up when you push them over.
Because of this, people love them as good luck charms that show you should never give up!