Japanese Alphabet: Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji Explained

Hiragana is where every Japanese learner begins. It represents all the sounds in Japanese and appears in native words, grammar particles, verb endings, and words not typically written in kanji. Each character equals one syllable.

Characters are organized in a grid called the gojūon (五十音, meaning 'fifty sounds'). The modern set has 46 basic characters.

The Five Vowels

All hiragana organize around five vowels: a, i, u, e, o. These form the foundation of the gojūon system.

Consonant Rows

Each consonant combines with all five vowels. For example, the k-row is ka, ki, ku, ke, ko. This pattern repeats for all consonants.

Core Hiragana Chart

• あ (a) = ah, example: あめ (ame, rain)
• い (i) = ee, example: いぬ (inu, dog)
• う (u) = oo, example: うみ (umi, sea)
• え (e) = eh, example: えき (eki, station)
• お (o) = oh, example: おかね (okane, money)
• か (ka) = kah, example: かさ (kasa, umbrella)
• き (ki) = kee, example: き (ki, tree)
• く (ku) = koo, example: くも (kumo, cloud)
• け (ke) = keh, example: けむり (kemuri, smoke)
• こ (ko) = koh, example: こども (kodomo, child)
• さ (sa) = sah, example: さくら (sakura, cherry blossom)
• し (shi) = shee, example: しろ (shiro, white)
• す (su) = soo, example: すし (sushi, sushi)
• せ (se) = seh, example: せかい (sekai, world)
• そ (so) = soh, example: そら (sora, sky)
• た (ta) = tah, example: たまご (tamago, egg)
• ち (chi) = chee, example: ちから (chikara, power)
• つ (tsu) = tsoo, example: つき (tsuki, moon)
• て (te) = teh, example: て (te, hand)
• と (to) = toh, example: ともだち (tomodachi, friend)
• な (na) = nah, example: なつ (natsu, summer)
• に (ni) = nee, example: にほん (nihon, Japan)
• ぬ (nu) = noo, example: ぬの (nuno, cloth)
• ね (ne) = neh, example: ねこ (neko, cat)
• の (no) = noh, example: のみもの (nomimono, drink)
• は (ha) = hah, example: はな (hana, flower)
• ひ (hi) = hee, example: ひと (hito, person)
• ふ (fu) = foo (between h and f), example: ふゆ (fuyu, winter)
• へ (he) = heh, example: へや (heya, room)
• ほ (ho) = hoh, example: ほし (hoshi, star)
• ま (ma) = mah, example: まど (mado, window)
• み (mi) = mee, example: みず (mizu, water)
• む (mu) = moo, example: むらさき (murasaki, purple)
• め (me) = meh, example: め (me, eye)
• も (mo) = moh, example: もり (mori, forest)
• や (ya) = yah, example: やま (yama, mountain)
• ゆ (yu) = yoo, example: ゆき (yuki, snow)
• よ (yo) = yoh, example: よる (yoru, night)
• ら (ra) = rah (between r and l), example: らいねん (rainen, next year)
• り (ri) = ree, example: りんご (ringo, apple)
• る (ru) = roo, example: るす (rusu, absence)
• れ (re) = reh, example: れいぞうこ (reizouko, refrigerator)
• ろ (ro) = roh, example: ろく (roku, six)
• わ (wa) = wah, example: わたし (watashi, I/me)
• を (wo) = oh (particle only), example: Used as object particle を
• ん (n) = n (standalone nasal), example: ほん (hon, book)

Katakana represents the exact same 46 sounds as hiragana. The difference is visual: katakana characters are more angular and sharp, while hiragana has rounded forms.

You use katakana for foreign loanwords (コーヒー = coffee, パソコン = personal computer), foreign names, scientific terms, onomatopoeia, and emphasis (like italics in English). Modern Japanese is full of English and other foreign loanwords, making katakana essential.

Why Learn Katakana

You cannot read Japanese newspapers, websites, or menus without katakana. Foreign brand names, technology terms, and food items appear constantly in katakana.

Core Katakana Chart

• ア (a) = ah, example: アメリカ (Amerika, America)
• イ (i) = ee, example: イギリス (Igirisu, England)
• ウ (u) = oo, example: ウイスキー (uisukii, whiskey)
• エ (e) = eh, example: エネルギー (enerugii, energy)
• オ (o) = oh, example: オレンジ (orenji, orange)
• カ (ka) = kah, example: カメラ (kamera, camera)
• キ (ki) = kee, example: キッチン (kicchin, kitchen)
• ク (ku) = koo, example: クラス (kurasu, class)
• ケ (ke) = keh, example: ケーキ (keeki, cake)
• コ (ko) = koh, example: コーヒー (koohii, coffee)
• サ (sa) = sah, example: サラダ (sarada, salad)
• シ (shi) = shee, example: シャツ (shatsu, shirt)
• ス (su) = soo, example: スポーツ (supootsu, sports)
• セ (se) = seh, example: セーター (seetaa, sweater)
• ソ (so) = soh, example: ソファ (sofa, sofa)
• タ (ta) = tah, example: タクシー (takushii, taxi)
• チ (chi) = chee, example: チーズ (chiizu, cheese)
• ツ (tsu) = tsoo, example: ツアー (tsuaa, tour)
• テ (te) = teh, example: テレビ (terebi, television)
• ト (to) = toh, example: トマト (tomato, tomato)
• ナ (na) = nah, example: ナイフ (naifu, knife)
• ニ (ni) = nee, example: ニュース (nyuusu, news)
• ヌ (nu) = noo, example: ヌードル (nuudoru, noodle)
• ネ (ne) = neh, example: ネクタイ (nekutai, necktie)
• ノ (no) = noh, example: ノート (nooto, notebook)
• ハ (ha) = hah, example: ハンバーガー (hanbaagaa, hamburger)
• ヒ (hi) = hee, example: ヒーター (hiitaa, heater)
• フ (fu) = foo, example: フランス (Furansu, France)
• ヘ (he) = heh, example: ヘリコプター (herikoputaa, helicopter)
• ホ (ho) = hoh, example: ホテル (hoteru, hotel)
• マ (ma) = mah, example: マンション (manshon, apartment)
• ミ (mi) = mee, example: ミルク (miruku, milk)
• ム (mu) = moo, example: ムード (muudo, mood)
• メ (me) = meh, example: メニュー (menyuu, menu)
• モ (mo) = moh, example: モデル (moderu, model)
• ヤ (ya) = yah, example: ヤング (yangu, young)
• ユ (yu) = yoo, example: ユニフォーム (yunifoomu, uniform)
• ヨ (yo) = yoh, example: ヨーロッパ (Yooroppa, Europe)
• ラ (ra) = rah, example: ラジオ (rajio, radio)
• リ (ri) = ree, example: リモコン (rimokon, remote control)
• ル (ru) = roo, example: ルール (ruuru, rule)
• レ (re) = reh, example: レストラン (resutoran, restaurant)
• ロ (ro) = roh, example: ロボット (robotto, robot)
• ワ (wa) = wah, example: ワイン (wain, wine)
• ヲ (wo) = oh, example: Rarely used in katakana
• ン (n) = n, example: パン (pan, bread)

Kanji are logographic characters borrowed from Chinese. Each one represents a meaning and has one or more readings. The Japanese government designates 2,136 characters as jōyō kanji (commonly used kanji) taught in schools.

Every kanji has at least two types of readings. The on'yomi (Chinese-derived reading) comes from how the character was pronounced in Chinese. The kun'yomi (native Japanese reading) is the original Japanese word. Beginners who learn the most common 100 to 200 kanji cover a huge percentage of everyday text.

Radicals: The Building Blocks

Radicals are recurring components that build kanji. Learning radicals helps you recognize patterns and guess meanings and pronunciations. For example, the water radical (水) appears in characters related to water: 流 (flow), 海 (ocean), 酒 (alcohol).

Essential Kanji for Beginners

• 一 (one) = ichi / hito(tsu), example: 一つ (hitotsu, one thing)
• 二 (two) = ni / futa(tsu), example: 二人 (futari, two people)
• 三 (three) = san / mi(ttsu), example: 三月 (sangatsu, March)
• 十 (ten) = juu / too, example: 十分 (juppun, 10 minutes)
• 日 (day / sun) = nichi, jitsu / hi, ka, example: 日本 (nihon, Japan)
• 月 (month / moon) = getsu, gatsu / tsuki, example: 月曜日 (getsuyoubi, Monday)
• 水 (water) = sui / mizu, example: 水曜日 (suiyoubi, Wednesday)
• 火 (fire) = ka / hi, example: 火曜日 (kayoubi, Tuesday)
• 人 (person) = jin, nin / hito, example: 日本人 (nihonjin, Japanese person)
• 大 (big) = dai, tai / oo(kii), example: 大きい (ookii, big)
• 小 (small) = shou / chii(sai), ko, example: 小さい (chiisai, small)
• 山 (mountain) = san / yama, example: 富士山 (Fujisan, Mt. Fuji)

Both hiragana and katakana can be modified with two small marks to create additional sounds. These marks add voiced and semi-voiced consonants.

Dakuten (゛, two small dots) voices a consonant sound. Ka becomes ga, sa becomes za, ta becomes da, and ha becomes ba. Handakuten (゜, a small circle) applies only to the ha-row, changing it to pa-sounds.

These modifications add 25 more sounds to each script (20 dakuten plus 5 handakuten). Combined with the base 46 characters, you get 71 basic sounds per kana set. Small versions of ya, yu, yo also combine with consonants to create contracted sounds: kyō, shū, chō, and so on.

Dakuten Examples

• が ガ (ga, from ka) = gah, example: がっこう (gakkou, school)
• ぎ ギ (gi, from ki) = gee, example: ぎんこう (ginkou, bank)
• ざ ザ (za, from sa) = zah, example: ざっし (zasshi, magazine)
• だ ダ (da, from ta) = dah, example: だいがく (daigaku, university)
• ば バ (ba, from ha) = bah, example: ばなな (banana, banana)

Handakuten Examples

• ぱ パ (pa, from ha plus handakuten) = pah, example: ぱん (pan, bread)