ソ and ン: find the starting point

Both characters have two strokes. The strongest clue is the direction of the longer one.

Same count, different movement

For ソ (so), the long stroke begins toward the upper right and moves down toward the lower left. For ン (n), it moves from the lower left toward the upper right. The placement of the short mark supports the distinction, but watch the long stroke first.

Try tracing the movement in the air before touching your pen to paper. That makes the starting point a deliberate choice. Then write the character once at a comfortable size.

Practice both inside one word

In ソファ, the small ァ combines with フ to make fa. In パン, the small circle on ハ changes the sound to pa, and the final ン contributes its own mora. You can practice the small marks and small kana separately in the desk.

A thirty-second check

1. Watch ソ and write it once.
2. Watch ン and write it once.
3. Look away and say “so, n” while writing the pair.
4. Compare the starting points, not only the finished outline.

Make a note of which one felt uncertain. Save that character with the star beside the animation, then revisit it another day. Repeating a comfortable character many times can feel productive; checking the one you cannot yet recall gives you a more useful target.

Avoid relying on one font

Some fonts make the contrast very obvious, while others are less familiar. Once you know the basic movement, look at the characters in a word you already know. Context helps reading, but it should not replace learning how the character is formed.

Also confusing シ and ツ? Compare that pair next →