Hiragana "Shu" Coloring Pages

"Shu" in "Ninja Star"

The character on this coloring page is the Hiragana "Shu".
The word is "shuriken" (ninja star). The picture on the left shows two cross-shaped ninja stars.
There is a round hole right in the middle.
Ninja stars are tools that ninjas used long ago, and they were thrown by hand.
This cross-shaped one with 4 sharp tips is called a "Shiho Shuriken."

"Shi" and a small "yu" make one sound

Hiragana "Shu" is written with a "shi" followed by a small "yu".
Even though there are two characters, you do not split them into "shi" and "yu." You read them together as one single sound: "shu."
Sounds like this are called Yoon.
If you write the "yu" big, it becomes "shiyuriken," and the way you read it changes!
"Shi" came from the kanji "之", and "yu" came from the kanji "由".
The Yoon sounds that use small "ya," "yu," and "yo" are grouped by threes on the hiragana chart, like "sha," "shu," and "sho."
Try saying them out loud to a nice rhythm: "sha, shu, sho!"

Tips for writing it neatly

"Shi" has 1 stroke.
Go straight down from the top, make a soft round curve at the bottom, and sweep gently up to the right.
The trick is to make a smooth curve without any sharp corners!
The small "yu" has 2 strokes. Write it small in the next box, tucked into the bottom left of that box.
Aim to make it about half the size of "shi."
So the bottom curve of "shi" and the "yu" do not line up too closely, write the "yu" small and low.
When you finish writing, compare the sizes of "shi" and "yu" to make sure you can clearly see the difference!

Let's find words with "shu"

Words that start with "shu" include shukudai (homework), shumi (hobby), shuppatsu (departure), and shuuri (repair).
Some words have "shu" at the end, like akushu (handshake) and hakushu (clapping).
When you give a friend a handshake or clap your hands, try to remember Hiragana "Shu"!
"Shu shu po po" is the sound a steam train makes.
Try looking for more words with "shu" together with your family!

Color the big Hiragana "Shu" in your favorite colors

First, try coloring the big outline of Hiragana "Shu" in the top right with your favorite colors.
To make it look like a metal ninja star, it is also cool to color "し" gray and "ゅ" silver, or color them navy blue like a ninja's clothes.
To stay inside the lines, color slowly near the edges, and color freely in the middle.

Color the ninja stars in silver and gray

If you color the ninja stars with silver or gray, they will look like real ones made of iron.
If you color the sunny side of the 4 points light gray and the other side dark gray, they will look 3D.
Leave the round hole in the middle white, or color it a little darker than the area around it.
It is also fun to use different colors for the 2 ninja stars, like gold and silver.
You can also draw lines around them so they look like they are flying through the air!

Tracing practice: 2 boxes make 1 set

In the bottom right boxes, there are 4 sets of light gray Hiragana "Shu".
"し" goes in the left box, and small "ゅ" goes in the right box. The 2 boxes make 1 set.
We recommend using a B or 2B pencil that is not too dark and not too light.
Use the up-and-down and side-to-side lines in the middle of the boxes to check where the letters start before you write.
After you write 1 set, say "Shu" out loud!
When you trace all 4 sets carefully one by one, try writing Hiragana "Shu" all by yourself in the white space outside the boxes.

Ninja stars come in many shapes

Ninja stars come in many shapes! Besides the cross shape in this coloring page, there is the Happo Shuriken with 8 points and the Bo Shuriken that looks like a thin stick.
Real ones are made of iron, and their tips are super sharp.
That makes them very dangerous tools!

Let's make a ninja star with origami

You can make a ninja star using 2 sheets of origami paper!
If you use two different colors, you get a cool, two-toned ninja star.
Paper ninja stars are safe to play with.
Just be sure never to throw them at anyone's face!

Who were the ninjas?

People say ninjas were secret agents in old Japan who carried out undercover missions.
Iga in Mie Prefecture and Koka in Shiga Prefecture are famous as ninja villages.
Today, ninjas are very popular with people all over the world, too!

What does "Shiho" mean?

The ninja star in this coloring page is called a "Shiho Shuriken".
"Shiho" means the 4 directions: front, back, right, and left.
It got this name because its sharp tips stretch out in 4 directions like a cross!
If it has 8 points, it becomes a "Happo Shuriken".
Try pointing at the tips on this coloring page with your finger and count them!