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Alphabet Japanese

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

CaractèreNomRomanisationPrononciation
aalike 'a' in 'father'
iilike 'ee' in 'meet'
uulike 'oo' in 'moon' (shorter)
eelike 'e' in 'met'
oolike 'o' in 'more'
kakalike 'ca' in 'car'
kikilike 'key'
kukulike 'coo'
kekelike 'ke' in 'kettle'
kokolike 'co' in 'coat'
sasalike 'sa' in 'sari'
shishilike 'she'
susulike 'sue'
seselike 'se' in 'set'
sosolike 'so' in 'soak'
tatalike 'ta' in 'task'
chichilike 'chee'
tsutsulike 'tsu' in 'tsunami'
tetelike 'te' in 'ten'
totolike 'to' in 'top'
nanalike 'na' in 'nap'
ninilike 'knee'
nunulike 'new'
nenelike 'ne' in 'net'
nonolike 'no'
hahalike 'ha' in 'hat'
hihilike 'he'
fufubetween 'fu' and 'hu'
hehelike 'he' in 'help'
hoholike 'ho' in 'hop'
mamalike 'ma' in 'map'
mimilike 'me'
mumulike 'moo'
memelike 'me' in 'met'
momolike 'mo' in 'more'
yayalike 'ya' in 'yard'
yuyulike 'you'
yoyolike 'yo' in 'yore'
raraa soft 'r/l' blend
ririlike 'ree'
rurulike 'roo'
rerelike 're' in 'red'
rorolike 'ro' in 'rope'
wawalike 'wa' in 'water'
wowo / olike 'o' (object marker)
nnlike 'n' in 'can'

Katakana

CaractèreNomRomanisationPrononciation
aalike 'a' in 'father'
iilike 'ee' in 'meet'
uulike 'oo' in 'moon'
eelike 'e' in 'met'
oolike 'o' in 'more'
kakalike 'ca' in 'car'
kikilike 'key'
kukulike 'coo'
kekelike 'ke' in 'kettle'
kokolike 'co' in 'coat'
sasalike 'sa' in 'sari'
shishilike 'she'
susulike 'sue'
seselike 'se' in 'set'
sosolike 'so' in 'soak'
tatalike 'ta' in 'task'
chichilike 'chee'
tsutsulike 'tsu' in 'tsunami'
tetelike 'te' in 'ten'
totolike 'to' in 'top'
nanalike 'na' in 'nap'
ninilike 'knee'
nunulike 'new'
nenelike 'ne' in 'net'
nonolike 'no'
hahalike 'ha' in 'hat'
hihilike 'he'
fufubetween 'fu' and 'hu'
hehelike 'he' in 'help'
hoholike 'ho' in 'hop'
mamalike 'ma' in 'map'
mimilike 'me'
mumulike 'moo'
memelike 'me' in 'met'
momolike 'mo' in 'more'
yayalike 'ya' in 'yard'
yuyulike 'you'
yoyolike 'yo' in 'yore'
raraa soft 'r/l' blend
ririlike 'ree'
rurulike 'roo'
rerelike 're' in 'red'
rorolike 'ro' in 'rope'
wawalike 'wa' in 'water'
wowo / olike 'o'
nnlike 'n' in 'can'