Hiragana: the Japanese writing system

The idea

Hiragana normally represents Japanese sound units. The 46 basic signs include vowels, consonant–vowel combinations and ん; small signs and marks make further sounds. Hiragana also writes particles and verb endings alongside kanji, such as を and ます. The chart pairs five signs with their katakana counterparts.

Examples

• 犬いぬは小ちいさいです。The dog is small.
• 朝あさ、犬いぬと歩あるきます。I walk with my dog in the morning.
• 傘かさを買かいます。I buy an umbrella.
• 魚さかなを食たべます。I eat fish.
• ここに本ほんがあります。There is a book here.
• 机つくえの上うえに本ほんがあります。There is a book on the desk.

Watch out

A character does not always sound as its usual chart reading: the topic particle は is pronounced wa. Read particles in context rather than assuming every は is ha.

Try it yourself

1. Write the hiragana counterpart of ア.

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   あ

   ア and あ represent the same sound, a; あ is the hiragana form requested.

2. Write the hiragana counterpart of カ.

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   か

   カ and か represent the same sound, ka; か is the hiragana form requested.

3. Complete か＿ (umbrella) with one hiragana character.

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   さ

   かさ means umbrella; さ completes its spelling.

4. Complete い＿ (dog) with one hiragana character.

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   ぬ

   いぬ means dog; ぬ completes its spelling.

Use it today

Cover the chart. Read two words from the examples aloud, write their readings in kana from memory, then compare them with the furigana and chart.