Use Handakuten and Japanese p sounds to read useful Japanese words and sentences. Some words are written in kana here for practice even when kanji is common.

The idea

The small circle ゜ is handakuten. On the h row it changes は ひ ふ へ ほ into ぱ ぴ ぷ ぺ ぽ, and ハ ヒ フ ヘ ホ into パ ピ プ ペ ポ: pa, pi, pu, pe, po. Write the circle at the upper right of the base character.

Patterns to compare
KanaReading (romaji)
は → ぱha → pa
ひ → ぴhi → pi
ふ → ぷfu → pu
へ → ぺhe → pe
ほ → ぽho → po
ハ → パha → pa
ヒ → ピhi → pi
フ → プfu → pu
ヘ → ペhe → pe
ホ → ポho → po

Examples

  • パンを買かいます。I buy bread.
  • ピアノを弾ひきます。I play the piano.
  • プールで泳およぎます。I swim in the pool.
  • そのペンは青あおいです。That pen is blue.
  • ポストに手紙てがみを入いれます。I put a letter in the postbox.
  • このカップは青あおいです。This cup is blue.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

Do not confuse the circle ゜ with the two strokes ゛: は, ば and ぱ represent different sounds.

Try it yourself

  1. Fill the blank with one kana or mark: ＿ン (pan).

    Show answer or example answer

    パ

    Compare the written parts and reading: ハ + ゜ = パ；パ = pa.

  2. Fill the blank with one kana or mark: えん＿つ (enpitsu).

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    ぴ

    Compare the written parts and reading: ひ + ゜ = ぴ；ぴ = pi.

  3. Fill the blank with one kana or mark: カッ＿ (kappu).

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    プ

    Compare the written parts and reading: フ + ゜ = プ；プ = pu.

Use it today

Cover the chart, read two examples aloud and write one target word from memory. Compare its spelling and timing with the original.