Katakana M-Row stroke order: マ ミ ム メ モ
マ and ム are easy to confuse because both are a hooked shape plus a small mark. In マ the corner stroke comes first and the short stroke finishes below it. In ム the angled stroke comes first and the dot goes on the right last.
M-Row characters
マ (ma) 2 strokes
- 1
- 2
The corner stroke first, then the short stroke below it.
ミ (mi) 3 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
Three short strokes, top to bottom.
ム (mu) 2 strokes
- 1
- 2
The angled stroke first, then the small mark on the right.
メ (me) 2 strokes
- 1
- 2
The long falling stroke first, then the short stroke crossing it.
モ (mo) 3 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
Two horizontal lines, then the vertical that turns right at the bottom.
Contracted sounds
Contracted sounds are two characters: the full-size base followed by a small ャ, ュ, ョ. Write the base exactly as usual, then the small character in the lower half of the next square, at about half size. Its strokes are the same as the full-size version, just smaller.
ミャ (mya) 5 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
ミュ (myu) 5 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
ミョ (myo) 6 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Keep going
Learn what each character looks like and how to remember it in the katakana M-Row mnemonics article, then drill recognition with M-Row flashcards. The same row in hiragana is here.