How to write ヒ (hi) in katakana
Add two short marks to ヒ (hi) and you get ビ (bi) and ピ (pi). Its shape keeps a part of the kanji 比 (“compare”). It takes two short strokes: the first from the left going rightwards, the last ending at the bottom right. Loanwords that begin with it: ヒア (“hear”), ヒレ (“fillet”), ヒット (“hit”) and ヒップ (“hips”).
- Romaji
- hi
- Strokes
- 2
- From
- 比
- Hiragana
- ひ
Stroke by stroke
- 1
- 2
- leftrightwards
- top leftdownwards → rightwards
Where ヒ comes from
- Katakana
- 比, a part of the kanji
- Hiragana
- ひ from 比
Here both scripts start from the same kanji, 比 (“compare”).
Trace it
Follow the numbers. Tracing help
With voicing marks
Base kana first, then the marks at the top right.
Combined sounds
- ヒャ hya
- ヒュ hyu
- ヒョ hyo
- ビャ bya
- ビュ byu
- ビョ byo
- ピャ pya
- ピュ pyu
- ピョ pyo
Words with ヒ
38 common JMdict katakana words with it; ten shown.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ヒア | hia | hear; here |
| ヒレ | hire | fillet; tenderloin |
| ヒット | hitto | hit; base hit |
| ヒップ | hippu | hips; buttocks |
| ヒンジ | hinji | hinge |
| ヒント | hinto | hint; clue |
| ヒート | hiito | heat; heating up |
| ヒール | hiiru | heel; heel |
| ヒソヒソ | hisohiso | in a whisper; in a low voice |
| ヒッピー | hippii | hippy; hippie |
Practice sheet
Print at 100%. Several kana: worksheet maker.
Keep going
Katakana, in chart order: