Hiragana "Byo" Coloring Pages

The "Byo" in "Byoin"

The letters on this coloring page are the Hiragana "Byo".
The word is "Byoin" (hospital). In Kanji, it is written as "病院", and it is a place where people help you get better when you are sick or hurt.
The picture on the left shows a hospital building from the front.
It has a big entrance, a row of windows, and a rooftop.
At the hospital, doctors and nurses protect everyone's health every day.

One Sound Made of Two Letters

To write "びょ", you combine the two characters "び" and a small "ょ".
Even though you write two characters, you don't read them separately as "bi" and "yo". Instead, you say them together as one single sound.
Sounds like this are called contracted sounds.
If you use a big "よ" and write "びよ", it becomes two sounds, which can make a totally different word.
The sound changes depending on whether the small character is there or not!

How Hiragana "Byo" was made

"Byo" is the letter "hi" with two little dots (voiced sound marks) added.
Hiragana characters were born long ago when people started writing Kanji in a simplified way.
"Hi" came from simplifying the Kanji character "比".
The small "yo" is just a regular "yo" written smaller, and "yo" comes from simplifying the Kanji character "与".
It is amazing how ancient Kanji changed over a long time to become the easy shapes we use today!

Tips for writing

You write "hi" in 1 stroke.
Start writing from the top left, make a big round curve going down, go up to the top right, and gently bring it down a little at the end.
It looks pretty if you make the bulge in the middle look balanced on both sides!
As for the two dots, you write 2 short dots on the top right after you finish writing the character.
When writing horizontally, write the small "yo" small in the bottom left of the box. When writing vertically, write it small on the top right.
Be careful not to mix up where the two dots and the "yo" go!

Words that start with Hiragana "Byo"

Words that start with "byo" include "byouki" (sickness), "byouin" (hospital), and "byou" (second) for time.
"Gabyou" (thumbtack) used to put paper on the wall also has "byo" in it.
Look at the second hand on a clock and try counting, "One second, two seconds."
Take the challenge and see how many "byo" words you can say in 10 seconds!

Color the big Hiragana "Byo" with gentle colors

Try coloring inside the lines of the big Hiragana "Byo" on the top right with any color you like.
Gentle colors like light blue or light green are great to match the hospital theme.
If you use different colors for "び", "ょ", and the two dots, it is easy to see how the character is made!

Color the building bright and gentle

For the hospital walls, you can leave them white or color them cream or light blue to make it look nice and clean.
Color the window glass light blue and leave a white line in the corner to make it look shiny!
Using dark blue or green for the window frames and around the entrance will make the building look neat and sharp.
Draw flower beds or trees in front of the entrance and color them green or pink to make a friendly, cheerful hospital.
Try coloring the sky above the roof in light blue.

Trace the letters with a pencil

In the boxes on the bottom right, there are 4 sets of light gray Hiragana "Byo".
Hold your pencil the right way and slowly trace over the gray lines without going outside.
Use the vertical and horizontal center lines in the boxes as guides to help you figure out the size and position of the letter.
Pay attention to where things go: the two dots are on the top right, and the small "ょ" is on the bottom left of the box.
Every time you trace 1 set, say "byo" out loud!
When you trace all 4 sets, try writing Hiragana "Byo" by yourself outside the boxes, too!

"Hospital" and "Hair Salon"

If you change the small "ょ" in "びょういん" to a big "よ", it becomes "びよういん".
"びよういん" means hair salon. That is a shop where people cut and style your hair.
Just changing one small letter makes it a completely different place!
Small letters make a big difference, so they are very important.

The Hospital Sign on Maps

Maps use many different map symbols to show buildings.
The map symbol for a hospital is a cross shape inside a circle.
Try looking for the hospital symbol when you look at a map!

Call 119 when You Need Help

If you suddenly feel very sick or get hurt badly, call 119 and an ambulance will come.
The ambulance will rush you to the hospital.
Talk with your family about calling 119 so you are ready just in case.

Be Quiet at the Hospital

Many people who feel sick go to the hospital.
Please wait quietly for your turn in the waiting room.
If you bring a coloring page or a picture book, you can have fun while you wait.