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Learn Hiragana and Katakana GIFT Memberships

り and リ

Pronunciation

These characters represent a blend between the “Li” sound in “Leak” and the “Di” sound in “Deal”.

Despite usually being written as "RI" in roman characters. 

り Memorization Story

The hiragana AND katakana both look like LEAKS growing out of the ground. The hiragana leaks are just more… circular and connected.

リ Memorization Story

The hiragana AND katakana both look like LEAKS growing out of the ground. The hiragana leaks are just more… circular and connected.

Writing

 
 

In writing, the first and second strokes of り are often connected, and this is reflected in fonts as well. Regardless of how you go about it, the first stroke should be shorter than the 2nd, and will cut up TOWARDS the beginning of the second stroke, which will start above where the first stroke started.

The katakana is similar, except that the tops of the 2 strokes start on around the same plane. 

Font Examples

り　　リ

り　　リ

り　　リ

り　　リ

り　　リ

Typing

Hiragana り
Type the letters “ri”.

Katakana リ
Type “ri” and press the F7 key, or press spacebar until the katakana appears. 

Word(s)

とり

bird

アイスクリーム

ice cream

アメリカ

America

 

Historical Form

Hiragana
利→り

HISTORICAL VERSION

Katakana
利→リ

PART BORROWED

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ToKini Kana Introduction Page あ・ア い・イ う・ウ え・エ お・オ Consonant Vowel Combinations か・カ き・キ く・ク け・ケ こ・コ Kana Reading Practice 1 さ・サ し・シ す・ス せ・セ そ・ソ た・タ ち・チ つ・ツ て・テ と・ト Kana Reading Practice 2 な・ナ に・ニ ぬ・ヌ ね・ネ の・ノ は・ハ ひ・ヒ ふ・フ へ・ヘ ほ・ホ Kana Reading Practice 3 ま・マ み・ミ む・ム め・メ も・モ や・ヤ ゆ・ユ よ・ヨ Kana Reading Practice 4 ら・ラ り・リ る・ル れ・レ ろ・ロ わ・ワ を・ヲ ん・ン Kana Reading Practice 5 Dakuten, Han-Dakuten, and Sokuon Kana Reading Practice 6 Kana Combinations Kana Reading Practice 7 Special Katakana Combinations The End Kana Worksheets