Hiragana is the first writing system to learn. 46 core characters (+ voiced/combo variants), each representing one syllable sound. Click any character to hear it pronounced.
Basic Hiragana (46 core characters)
Vowels
あa
いi
うu
えe
おo
K-row
かka
きki
くku
けke
こko
S-row
さsa
しshi
すsu
せse
そso
T-row
たta
ちchi
つtsu
てte
とto
N-row
なna
にni
ぬnu
ねne
のno
H-row
はha
ひhi
ふfu
へhe
ほho
M-row
まma
みmi
むmu
めme
もmo
Y-row
やya
ゆyu
よyo
R-row
らra
りri
るru
れre
ろro
W-row & N
わwa
をwo
んn
Voiced (Dakuten) — ゛
Adding two small strokes changes the sound: k→g, s→z, t→d, h→b.
G-row
がga
ぎgi
ぐgu
げge
ごgo
Z-row
ざza
じji
ずzu
ぜze
ぞzo
D-row
だda
でde
どdo
B-row
ばba
びbi
ぶbu
べbe
ぼbo
P-row (handakuten ゜)
ぱpa
ぴpi
ぷpu
ぺpe
ぽpo
Combination characters (yōon)
A small ya/yu/yo added to i-row characters creates new sounds.
Kya / Sha / Cha / Nya / Hya / Mya / Rya
きゃkya
きゅkyu
きょkyo
しゃsha
しゅshu
しょsho
ちゃcha
ちゅchu
ちょcho
にゃnya
にゅnyu
にょnyo
ひゃhya
ひゅhyu
ひょhyo
みゃmya
みゅmyu
みょmyo
りゃrya
りゅryu
りょryo
Ready to test yourself? → Hiragana Quiz