Katakana "Ryu" Coloring Pages

The "Ryu" in "Ryukku"

This coloring page is for practicing the Katakana "Ryu".
The word is "Ryukku" (backpack). On the left, there is a drawing of a backpack for kids, seen from the front.
It has a big pocket on the front, a zipper to close it, and shoulder straps on the left and right sides.
It helps a lot when you go on a field trip or to the park with your lunch box and water bottle!

Two Letters for One Sound

Katakana "Ryu" uses two letters, "Ri" and a small "Yu", to make one sound.
Letters made like this with a small "Ya," "Yu," or "Yo" to make one sound are called Youon.
When you say it out loud, do not split "Ri" and "Yu." Try to say them together at once! To say the Katakana "Ryu" in "Ryukku" well, purse your lips and let the sound slide out.

How Katakana "Ryu" Was Made

Katakana are letters created long ago by taking one part of a Kanji character or making its shape simple.
"Ri" was born from the "刂" part on the right side of the Kanji character "利".
The small "Yu" is just a smaller version of "Yu". "Yu" was made from a part of the Kanji character "由".
Hiragana was made by rounding whole Kanji characters. Katakana was made from parts of Kanji, so it has many straight lines!

How to Write Katakana "Ryu"

You write "Ri" with 2 strokes. First, write the short vertical line on the left. For the second long line, sweep smoothly to the left at the bottom.
Making the right line longer than the left line is the trick to writing it neatly!
The small "Yu" has 2 strokes. With the 1st stroke, draw a line that goes across and bends down. With the 2nd stroke, make the bottom line a little long.
Write small letters about one-fourth the size of a box. When writing side to side, place it in the bottom left of the box. When writing top to bottom, place it in the top right of the box.
If you write "Yu" too big, people might read it as two sounds like "Ri-Yu," so be careful!

Words with Katakana "Ryu"

Katakana is often used when writing words that came from other countries.
"Ryukku" is also a word that came from German!
Words that start with Katakana "Ryu" include Ryukkusakku (backpack) and Ryuuju (luge), a sport where you slide down an ice track on a sled.
There are also words with Katakana "Ryu" in the middle, like Boryuumu (volume), which shows how loud a sound is.
There are not many words that start with Katakana "Ryu", so it is fun to look for them together with your family!

Color the big Katakana "Ryu" in your favorite colors

Try coloring the big outlined Katakana "Ryu" in the top right with your favorite colors.
If you use different colors for "Ri" and the small "Yu", it is easy to see that these two letters make one sound together.
Slowly color along the outside first so you do not go over the lines. Then, fill in the middle to make it look neat!

Color the backpack in bright, happy colors

Try coloring the main part of the backpack with bright colors like red, blue, or yellow.
If you color the front pocket in a different color from the main part, the shape of the pocket stands out and looks so cute!
Use gray or silver for the zipper. Make the shoulder straps a little darker than the main part to make it look real.
It is also fun to add your own patterns while thinking about the backpack you want!
Adding a tiny keychain to the zipper tab is cute, too.

Trace each pair carefully

In the bottom right boxes, there are 4 pairs of light gray Katakana "Ryu".
Use a dark pencil or a soft pencil to trace slowly over the light letters.
Use the vertical and horizontal center lines in the boxes as a guide. This helps you see the difference in size between the big letter and the small letter.
Say the stroke order out loud as you write to help you remember it.
Did you make the sweeping stroke at the end of "Ri" without lifting your pencil?

Katakana "Ryu" comes from German

"Rucksack" is a word that came from German.
In German, "rücken" means back, and "sack" means bag.
So, rucksack means "back bag"!
People say it spread in Japan after mountain climbers started using them.

Randoseru also comes from another country

The randoseru backpacks that elementary school kids wear also came from abroad.
It is said to come from the Dutch word "ransel," which means a bag you wear on your back.
The names for both types of backpacks came from other countries!

Why you wear it on both shoulders

Katakana "Ryu" uses two shoulder straps to split the weight between both shoulders.
Because of this, you can carry heavy things much easier than with a bag you hold in one hand.
Your hands stay free, so you can easily catch yourself if you fall. That keeps you safe!

Let's write it in Romaji

When you write Katakana "Ryu" in Romaji, it becomes ryu.
For sounds with small "ya," "yu," or "yo," you put in a y when writing in Romaji.
You will learn Romaji in Japanese class around 3rd grade.
It is also written on station names and road signs, so try reading it when you find it!