Hiragana "Ryu" Coloring Pages

"Ryu" in Hiragana "Ryu"

The letters on this coloring page are the Hiragana "Ryu".
The word is "Ryu". In Kanji, it is written as "竜" or "龍".
On the left, you can see a cute Japanese dragon.
It has a long body, two horns, long whiskers, and four legs.
Dragons are not real animals. They are imaginary creatures that people long ago thought up.
People believed dragons were super strong and could fly freely in the sky.

Two Letters for One Sound

You write Hiragana "Ryu" by putting together "Ri" and a small "Yu".
Even though you write two letters, you say them together as one sound, not as "Ri" and "Yu" separately.
This kind of sound is called a Youon.
If you use a big "Yu" and write "Riyu," it becomes two sounds, and it can turn into a different word.
The sound changes depending on whether the letter is small or big!

How Hiragana "Ryu" Came to Be

Hiragana was created long ago by simplifying Kanji.
"Ri" came from the simplified shape of the Kanji "利".
The small "Yu" is just a tiny version of a normal "Yu", which came from the simplified shape of the Kanji "由".
Kanji from very long ago changed over time to become the simple shapes we use today!

Writing Tips

You write "Ri" in 2 strokes.
The 1st stroke is the short line on the left. Go down and make a little flick to the top right.
The 2nd stroke is the long line on the right. Write from top to bottom, and sweep down to the left at the end.
The small "Yu" has 2 strokes, just like a normal "Yu". When you write sideways, put it small in the bottom left of the box. When you write top to bottom, put it small in the top right.
Be careful not to squash the round part of "Yu"!

Words with Hiragana "Ryu"

Besides "Ryu", other words starting with Hiragana "Ryu" include "Ryusei" (shooting star) and "Ryugujo" (the sea palace from the story of Urashima Taro).
There are also words with "Ryu" at the end, like "Kyoryu" (dinosaur).
Let's play a word-hunting game! Clap your hands whenever you find Hiragana "Ryu".
How many can you find?

Color the Big "Hiragana "Ryu"" Like a Dragon

Try coloring inside the lines of the big "Hiragana "Ryu"" at the top right with your favorite colors.
If you use green, blue, or gold to match the dragon, the letters will look super strong!
If you use different colors for "ri" and "yu", it is easy to see that it is a combination of two letters.

Color the Dragon Green or Blue

If you color the dragon's body green or blue-green, it will look just like a dragon from Japanese pictures!
For the big scales, make the edges a little darker, one by one. That will make the pattern pop!
Try coloring the belly light yellow or cream to make it look different from its back.
Using yellow-ocher for the horns and red or orange for the whiskers and mane will make it look extra cool!
Making a gold dragon or a white dragon is wonderful, too.
You can even draw your own clouds in the white space around it to make the dragon fly in the sky!

Trace the Letters with a Pencil

In the boxes at the bottom right, there are 4 sets of light gray "Hiragana "Ryu"".
Hold your pencil the right way. Trace slowly over the gray lines without going outside of them.
Use the vertical and horizontal center lines in the boxes as clues. They help you see how big to make the letters and where to put them.
Be careful to write the small "yu" small, in the bottom left of the box.
Every time you trace 1 set, say "Hiragana "Ryu"" out loud.
When you trace all 4 sets, try writing it by yourself outside the boxes, too!

The Dragons in the Zodiac

In the zodiac that counts years as rat, ox, tiger, and so on, Hiragana "Ryu" is included as the "Dragon."
Among all the zodiac animals, Hiragana "Ryu" is the only imaginary creature.
Try checking which zodiac year you and your family were born in!

Gods of Water and Rain

In long-ago Japan and China, people believed that Hiragana "Ryu" was deeply connected to water and rain.
When it did not rain and people were in trouble, they held festivals to ask Hiragana "Ryu" for rain.
You might see pictures or statues of Hiragana "Ryu" on temple ceilings or at shrine water basins, so try looking for them!

Seahorses

In the sea, there is a fish called a seahorse.
Its face looks like Hiragana "Ryu," so it got its Japanese name, which means "child of a dragon."
It is a mysterious fish that wraps its tail around seaweed and swims standing up!

Hiragana "Ryu" and the Round Jewel

In old pictures of Hiragana "Ryu," it is often drawn holding a round jewel in its hand.
People believed that this jewel was a special treasure that could make wishes come true.
When you see a picture of Hiragana "Ryu" at a temple or an art museum, look to see if it is holding a jewel!