Hiragana "Nya" Coloring Pages

The "Nya" in "Nyanko"

The letters on this coloring page are Hiragana "Nya".
The word is "Nyanko". It is a cute word for a cat!
In the picture on the left, a little kitten is sitting nicely with its front paws together. It is looking right at you with its mouth open, saying "Nyaa".
Can you see its pointy ears and the whiskers on its cheeks?
The word "Nyanko" comes from the sound a cat makes, "Nyaa"!

"に" and a small "ゃ" make 1 sound

To write "Nya", you write "Ni" and then add a small "Ya" after it.
Even though there are 2 characters, you do not read them separately as "Ni" and "Ya". You read them together as 1 single sound, "Nya".
Sounds like this are called Youon.
If you write "Ya" in a big size, it becomes "Ni-ya-n-ko", and the way you read it changes.
"Ni" is a Hiragana made from the Kanji "仁", and "Ya" comes from the Kanji "也".
Youon that use a small "Ya", "Yu", or "Yo" are lined up in groups of 3 on the Hiragana chart, like "Nya", "Nyu", and "Nyo".
Let's say them out loud with a fun rhythm: "Nya, Nyu, Nyo!"

Tips for writing neatly

"Ni" is written in 3 strokes.
The first stroke is the vertical line on the left. When you reach the bottom, make a small jump up to the right.
The second and third strokes are the short horizontal lines on the right. For the bottom line, go a little up to the right and finish with a soft curve.
The trick is not to leave too much space between the left and right sides.
The small "ya" is written in 3 strokes. Write it small in the next box, tucked into the bottom left of the box.
Aim for about half the size of "Ni".
When you finish writing, compare the sizes of "Ni" and "ya" to make sure you can see a clear difference!

Let's look for words that start with Hiragana "Nya"

There actually aren't many words that start with Hiragana "Nya".
The most famous ones are "nya-nya," which is the sound a cat makes, and "nyanko," a cute word for a cat.
For words with it in the middle, we have konjac (konnyaku) and gunya-gunya, which means squishy or bendy.
It is also fun to pretend you are a cat and add "nya" when you talk!
Try saying things like "Good morning, nya!" or "It's mealtime, nya!" to your family.

Color the Big "Hiragana "Nya"" with Your Favorite Colors

First, try coloring the big outlined "Hiragana "Nya"" in the top right with any colors you like.
Match it to your favorite cat colors! You can make cat-patterned letters, like making "ni" orange and "ya" brown.
Color slowly near the edges so you do not go outside the lines, and fill in the middle with big, smooth strokes.

Design the Kitten with Your Favorite Patterns

Cats come in many fur colors, like white, black, orange tabby, gray, and calico.
If you want to make an orange tabby, color it orange first, then draw stripes with a slightly darker brown.
If you want to make a calico cat, make big patches using three colors: white, black, and brown.
Coloring the inside of the ears, the nose, and the open mouth pink will give your cat a cute face.
Choose yellow, green, or light blue for the eyes!

Tracing Practice: Two Boxes Make One Set

In the bottom right boxes, there are 4 sets of light gray "Hiragana "Nya"".
The left box has "ni" and the right box has a small "ya". The two boxes work together as one 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 as clues. Check where the letter starts before you write!
After you write one set, say "Hiragana "Nya"" out loud.
Once you trace all 4 sets carefully one by one, try writing it all by yourself in the white space outside the boxes!

Meowing Is For Talking To People

It is said that grown-up cats do not often meow at each other.
When a grown-up cat meows, it is mostly to talk to people.
They might be trying hard to tell you "Feed me" or "Play with me!"

A Cat's Whiskers Are Amazing Sensors

A cat's whiskers are very sensitive.
They can feel even a tiny breeze or a light touch.
When they go through tight spots, it is said they use their whiskers to check if their body will fit.

Kittens Have Blue Eyes

Most newborn kittens have bluish eyes.
As they grow up, their eyes change to their own colors, like yellow or green.
Also, cats spend about half the day sleeping.
Some people even say they got the name "Neko" because they sleep so much!

The Secret Of A Cat's Paws

On the bottom of a cat's paws, there are squishy paw pads.
The paw pads act like cushions, so you can hardly hear their footsteps when they walk.
Also, cats usually walk with their claws pulled in.
That is why they can sneak up so quietly!