Kana (Fifty Sounds)
The Japanese writing system consists of three scripts: Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji. Hiragana and Katakana are phonetic syllabaries, meaning each character represents a distinct sound.
Gojūon (Fifty Sounds)
あa
いi
うu
えe
おo
かka
きki
くku
けke
こko
さsa
しshi
すsu
せse
そso
たta
ちchi
つtsu
てte
とto
なna
にni
ぬnu
ねne
のno
はha
ひhi
ふfu
へhe
ほho
まma
みmi
むmu
めme
もmo
やya
ゆyu
よyo
らra
りri
るru
れre
ろro
わwa
をwo
んn
Usage Rules
Sokuon (Small Tsu)
Double consonants. Indicated by a small 'tsu' (っ / ッ). Pause for a beat before pronouncing the next consonant.
ki
き
+
tsu
っ
+
pu
ぷ
=
kippu (Ticket)
きっぷ
za
ざ
+
tsu
っ
+
shi
し
=
zasshi (Magazine)
ざっし
ki
き
+
tsu
っ
+
te
て
=
kitte (Stamp)
きって
Chōon (Long Vowels)
Elongated vowels. Sounds are held for two beats.
Hiragana Rules
a-sound + あ
e.g., おかあさん (Mother)
i-sound + い
e.g., おにいさん (Brother)
u-sound + う
e.g., くうき (Air)
e-sound + い Standard
e.g., せんせい (Teacher)
e-sound + え Limited
e.g., おねえさん (Sister)
o-sound + う Standard
e.g., おとうさん (Father)
o-sound + お Limited
e.g., おおきい (Big)
Katakana Rule
Uses a bar (ー)
e.g., コーヒー (Coffee)
Hiragana
Used for native Japanese words, grammar particles, and verb endings (okurigana). It has a cursive, rounded appearance.
Katakana
Used primarily for foreign loanwords, scientific names, and emphasis (like italics). It has a sharp, angular appearance.