How to write し (shi) in hiragana

し belongs to the s-row, yet it is read shi rather than si: the sound shifted, and the spelling follows the sound. It grew out of the cursive form of the kanji 之 (“of”). One flowing stroke draws it: it starts at the top left and runs downwards then rightwards, ending at the bottom right. Words that start with it include 死 (“death”), 支持 (“support”), 七 (“seven”) and 信 (“honesty”).