Hiragana "Da" Coloring Pages

"Da" for "Daruma"

The character on this coloring page is the Hiragana "Da".
The word is "Daruma". The picture on the left shows a daruma doll from the front.
It has thick eyebrows, a bushy beard, and two big eyes.
The eyes are just empty round outlines without the black pupils drawn in yet.
Daruma dolls are Japanese lucky charms that people display when they make a wish.

Hiragana "Da" Came from the Character "Ta"

Hiragana "Da" is the character "Ta" with two tiny dots (voicing marks) added.
The original "Ta" came from the kanji character "太", which changed into today's shape as people wrote it in a flowing way.
When you add the tiny dots, the clear "Ta" sound changes into a buzzing "Da" sound.
If you mean to say "Tango" but say "Dango" instead, it turns into the word for sweet rice dumplings! Just adding tiny dots changes the whole word.

Tips for Writing

You write "Ta" in 4 strokes.
The 1st stroke is a short horizontal line on the left. The 2nd stroke goes straight through that line and slides down to the left.
For the 3rd and 4th strokes, draw a small shape like "Ko" on the right. Making the top line shorter and the bottom line a bit longer gives it good balance.
Finally, write the two tiny dots. Place them small in the open space on the top right of the box, above the "Ko" shape.

Words with Hiragana "Da"

Words starting with Hiragana "Da" include Dango (rice dumplings), Daikon (giant radish), Dachou (ostrich), and Dangomushi (pill bug).
Some words have Hiragana "Da" in the middle or at the end, like Kudamono (fruit), Hadashi (bare feet), and Karada (body).
The pill bug is called "Dangomushi" in Japanese because it rolls its body into a ball just like a round "Dango" dumpling!
It is fun to look for words while thinking about what they mean.

How to Enjoy This Coloring Page

On this coloring page, you will find a daruma picture on the left, a big Hiragana "Da" and the vertical word "Daruma" on the top right, and tracing boxes lined up on the bottom right.
Since the daruma's eyes are just outlines, you can draw in the black pupils yourself!
Try placing this next to the "Ta" coloring page to compare whether it has the tiny dots or not.
When you finish coloring, talk with your family about where you would place a daruma doll and what kind of wish you want to make.
Just like a round, sturdy daruma doll, stay steady and give tracing a try!

Color the Big Hiragana "Da" in Red and Orange

Try coloring the big Hiragana "Da" in red and orange to match the daruma doll.
If you color the left two lines red and the right two lines orange, you can easily see how the left and right parts of the letter are made.
If you make the small dots gold or yellow, it will look super happy and lucky!

Red is Best for the Daruma Doll

We recommend coloring the daruma doll's body in bright red.
Leave the face peach or plain white.
If you color the eyebrows and beard in black, the face will look cool and sharp.
Coloring the patterns on its body in gold or yellow makes it look fancy!

Daruma Dolls in Many Colors

Besides red, daruma dolls come in many colors like white, yellow, pink, and purple.
Color it with your favorite colors to make your very own daruma doll.
It is also fun to pick colors while thinking about a special wish!

Pay Attention to the Crossing Lines When Tracing

Trace Hiragana "Da" in the bottom-right box using a pencil.
Make sure the second line goes straight through the first horizontal line.
Use the middle line of the box to help you balance the left and right sides.
Once you add the small dots, you are all done with one!
Draw a little red circle with a red colored pencil next to the Hiragana "Da" you wrote well, just like a daruma doll.
As you practice writing it many times, you will naturally learn where to put the small dots.

Fall down seven times, stand up eight

Even if you push a Daruma doll over, it stands right back up.
That is because its bottom is made heavy.
Because it stands up no matter how many times it falls, it is often talked about along with the phrase, "Fall down seven times, stand up eight."
It means that even if you make a mistake, you should try hard again!

Draw in an eye when you make a wish

When you make a wish with a Daruma doll, you draw a black pupil in one eye first.
Then, when your wish comes true, you draw in the other eye.
Maybe you have seen people drawing eyes on Daruma dolls during elections or school entrance exams.

The monk who started it all

Daruma dolls are based on an old monk named Bodhidharma.
It is said that he sat still and practiced for a very long time.
Daruma dolls do not have hands or feet because they show him sitting and practicing.

Eyebrows like cranes, beards like turtles

The Takasaki Daruma from Gunma Prefecture has eyebrows shaped like cranes and a beard shaped like a turtle.
Cranes and turtles are both lucky creatures that bring a long life.
Can you see the crane and turtle in the eyebrows and beard on your coloring page?