Learn · ひらがな
Hiragana chart
Hiragana is the first Japanese script to learn. It has 46 basic characters, and each one is a syllable: か is ka, さ is sa. Japanese uses it for grammar endings, particles, words without kanji, and the small readings printed over kanji, called furigana.
Every hiragana below has its romaji in modified Hepburn, the spelling most textbooks use.
The 46 basic hiragana
Read each row left to right, a i u e o. The gaps are sounds modern Japanese doesn't have, like yi and wu. Press the play button on a row to quiz yourself on it.
Dakuten and handakuten
Two small marks change a kana's sound. Dakuten, the two strokes in が, voice it: k becomes g, s becomes z, t becomes d, h becomes b. Handakuten, the small circle in ぱ, turns h into p. That gives 25 more hiragana.
Combination hiragana
A kana from the i column followed by a small ya, yu or yo makes one syllable: き + ゃ = きゃ, read kya. These are called yōon. The small kana is written at about half size, which is how you tell きゃ (kya) from きや (kiya).
Hiragana that look alike
These are the pairs learners mix up most. Each link quizzes the rows they're in, and the button below quizzes them all together.
ぬ め
Both start with the same crossed strokes. ぬ (nu) finishes with a small loop at the bottom right; め (me) doesn't.
Quiz the rows with ぬ and めね れ わ
All three start with the same tall stroke, so look at the ending. ね (ne) curls into a loop, れ (re) kicks out to the right and わ (wa) curves back round.
Quiz the rows with ね, れ and わる ろ
る (ru) ends in a small loop. ろ (ro) ends open.
Quiz the rows with る and ろさ ち
Mirror images. The lower curve of さ (sa) opens to the right like a c; the curve of ち (chi) bulges to the right like the bottom of a 5.
Quiz the rows with さ and ちは ほ
ほ (ho) has an extra line closing off the top. は (ha) is open.
Quiz the rows with は and ほい り
In い (i) the right stroke is the shorter one. In り (ri) it runs down well past the left one.
Quiz the rows with い and り
How to learn the hiragana chart
Learn one or two rows a day. Say each kana out loud as you write it, then quiz yourself on just those rows. Add the next row once you can read them all without a slip.
Knowing a kana and reading it fast are different skills. Kana Dash times every answer and moves on the moment you're right, so you can watch your speed improve. Once single kana are easy, move on to words and sentences.
Questions
- How many hiragana are there?
- 46 basic ones. Dakuten and handakuten add 25 more, and there are 36 combinations with a small ゃ, ゅ or ょ.
- Should I learn hiragana or katakana first?
- Hiragana. It's in almost every sentence, while katakana mostly shows up in loanwords and names. Katakana is quicker to learn second, because it has the same sounds and the same chart.
- How do you read を?
- As o, the same as お. It's only used as the object particle. In the quiz, both o and wo are right.
- Why is ん on a row of its own?
- It's the only kana with no vowel. Its romaji is n, written n' before a vowel or y so it doesn't merge with the next kana, as in kin'yōbi.
- How long does it take to learn hiragana?
- Most people can read all 46 within a week or two of daily practice. After that, keep practicing until you read them without stopping to think.
Next: the katakana chart, or how hiragana and katakana differ.