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Japanese Alphabet
Hiragana & Katakana
Japanese uses three writing systems: Hiragana (for native words), Katakana (for foreign words), and Kanji (Chinese-derived characters). Hiragana and Katakana each have 46 basic characters.
Hiragana
| Character | Name | Romanization | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| あ | a | a | like 'a' in 'father' |
| い | i | i | like 'ee' in 'meet' |
| う | u | u | like 'oo' in 'moon' (shorter) |
| え | e | e | like 'e' in 'met' |
| お | o | o | like 'o' in 'more' |
| か | ka | ka | like 'ca' in 'car' |
| き | ki | ki | like 'key' |
| く | ku | ku | like 'coo' |
| け | ke | ke | like 'ke' in 'kettle' |
| こ | ko | ko | like 'co' in 'coat' |
| さ | sa | sa | like 'sa' in 'sari' |
| し | shi | shi | like 'she' |
| す | su | su | like 'sue' |
| せ | se | se | like 'se' in 'set' |
| そ | so | so | like 'so' in 'soak' |
| た | ta | ta | like 'ta' in 'task' |
| ち | chi | chi | like 'chee' |
| つ | tsu | tsu | like 'tsu' in 'tsunami' |
| て | te | te | like 'te' in 'ten' |
| と | to | to | like 'to' in 'top' |
| な | na | na | like 'na' in 'nap' |
| に | ni | ni | like 'knee' |
| ぬ | nu | nu | like 'new' |
| ね | ne | ne | like 'ne' in 'net' |
| の | no | no | like 'no' |
| は | ha | ha | like 'ha' in 'hat' |
| ひ | hi | hi | like 'he' |
| ふ | fu | fu | between 'fu' and 'hu' |
| へ | he | he | like 'he' in 'help' |
| ほ | ho | ho | like 'ho' in 'hop' |
| ま | ma | ma | like 'ma' in 'map' |
| み | mi | mi | like 'me' |
| む | mu | mu | like 'moo' |
| め | me | me | like 'me' in 'met' |
| も | mo | mo | like 'mo' in 'more' |
| や | ya | ya | like 'ya' in 'yard' |
| ゆ | yu | yu | like 'you' |
| よ | yo | yo | like 'yo' in 'yore' |
| ら | ra | ra | a soft 'r/l' blend |
| り | ri | ri | like 'ree' |
| る | ru | ru | like 'roo' |
| れ | re | re | like 're' in 'red' |
| ろ | ro | ro | like 'ro' in 'rope' |
| わ | wa | wa | like 'wa' in 'water' |
| を | wo | wo / o | like 'o' (object marker) |
| ん | n | n | like 'n' in 'can' |
Katakana
| Character | Name | Romanization | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ア | a | a | like 'a' in 'father' |
| イ | i | i | like 'ee' in 'meet' |
| ウ | u | u | like 'oo' in 'moon' |
| エ | e | e | like 'e' in 'met' |
| オ | o | o | like 'o' in 'more' |
| カ | ka | ka | like 'ca' in 'car' |
| キ | ki | ki | like 'key' |
| ク | ku | ku | like 'coo' |
| ケ | ke | ke | like 'ke' in 'kettle' |
| コ | ko | ko | like 'co' in 'coat' |
| サ | sa | sa | like 'sa' in 'sari' |
| シ | shi | shi | like 'she' |
| ス | su | su | like 'sue' |
| セ | se | se | like 'se' in 'set' |
| ソ | so | so | like 'so' in 'soak' |
| タ | ta | ta | like 'ta' in 'task' |
| チ | chi | chi | like 'chee' |
| ツ | tsu | tsu | like 'tsu' in 'tsunami' |
| テ | te | te | like 'te' in 'ten' |
| ト | to | to | like 'to' in 'top' |
| ナ | na | na | like 'na' in 'nap' |
| ニ | ni | ni | like 'knee' |
| ヌ | nu | nu | like 'new' |
| ネ | ne | ne | like 'ne' in 'net' |
| ノ | no | no | like 'no' |
| ハ | ha | ha | like 'ha' in 'hat' |
| ヒ | hi | hi | like 'he' |
| フ | fu | fu | between 'fu' and 'hu' |
| ヘ | he | he | like 'he' in 'help' |
| ホ | ho | ho | like 'ho' in 'hop' |
| マ | ma | ma | like 'ma' in 'map' |
| ミ | mi | mi | like 'me' |
| ム | mu | mu | like 'moo' |
| メ | me | me | like 'me' in 'met' |
| モ | mo | mo | like 'mo' in 'more' |
| ヤ | ya | ya | like 'ya' in 'yard' |
| ユ | yu | yu | like 'you' |
| ヨ | yo | yo | like 'yo' in 'yore' |
| ラ | ra | ra | a soft 'r/l' blend |
| リ | ri | ri | like 'ree' |
| ル | ru | ru | like 'roo' |
| レ | re | re | like 're' in 'red' |
| ロ | ro | ro | like 'ro' in 'rope' |
| ワ | wa | wa | like 'wa' in 'water' |
| ヲ | wo | wo / o | like 'o' |
| ン | n | n | like 'n' in 'can' |