The Japanese alphabet: kana (hiragana and katakana) chart
Japanese doesn't have one alphabet but two syllabaries, the kana: hiragana and katakana. They write the same sounds, each with its own shapes. Here they are side by side, with their pronunciation, and the method to learn them together.
What are kana?
Kana are the two Japanese “alphabets”. Each character writes a syllable (ka, shi, tsu…) or a vowel, not a letter: they are syllabaries.
Hiragana and katakana each have 46 basic characters, in the same order (a, i, u, e, o). With the variants (dakuten ゛, handakuten ゜) and combinations (きゃ, しゅ…), there are 113 hiragana and 113 katakana.
Kanji are not kana: they are characters of Chinese origin that carry meaning. You learn them once kana are mastered.
The 46 basic sounds: hiragana and katakana
Tap a character to see its stroke order, its twin in the other script and words to read it in.
Hiragana or katakana: what is each for?
Hiragana. Hiragana write Japanese words without kanji, particles (は, を, に) and the endings of verbs and adjectives: たべます, たかい. It's the script you'll read the most.
Katakana. Katakana write words borrowed from other languages (コーヒー coffee, パン bread, テレビ TV), foreign names (アメリカ, America) and onomatopoeia. They are everywhere from the first texts.
How to learn kana
- Learn both at once, row by row: each sound once, with its two shapes.
- One row a day, 15 to 20 minutes: the 46 basic sounds are read within two weeks.
- Link a picture to each character, write it once or twice in stroke order.
- Review with tests mixing both scripts, and drop romaji as early as you can.
FAQ
- How many kana are there?
- 46 basic hiragana and 46 katakana, which write the same sounds. With variants and combinations: 113 hiragana and 113 katakana.
- Should I learn hiragana before katakana?
- No: the most efficient way is to learn them together, row by row, since they are the same sounds. That way you don't stall on katakana for months.
- How long does it take to learn kana?
- Two to four weeks at 15 to 20 minutes a day to recognise them all, then a few weeks of short reviews to read them without hesitating.
- What's the difference between kana and kanji?
- A kana writes a sound, a kanji carries a meaning (and often several readings). A Japanese sentence mixes all three: kanji for meaning, hiragana for grammar, katakana for foreign words.
Remember them for good
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