Japanese script guide
Hiragana appears throughout ordinary Japanese sentences. Learn the five vowel readings first, then use the interactive 46-character chart for row-by-row recognition practice.
Hiragana is one of two kana scripts. A basic character normally writes one Japanese rhythm unit, called a mora, such as a, ka, or shi. Many basic forms represent a vowel or consonant-plus-vowel reading; ん, smallっ, and combinations need their own explanation.
The chart is often called the gojūon, or “fifty-sound” ordering. The modern basic set has 46 characters because some historical positions are no longer used as distinct basic kana.
Hiragana writes grammatical endings, particles, and many words. It can also show how kanji are read. In beginner material, you will see it constantly, which is why it is an effective early focus.
Japanese usually combines hiragana with katakana and kanji. Learning hiragana does not mean every Japanese word is normally written only in hiragana.
46 modern basic characters
Read each row from a to o. The Y and W rows have fewer modern basic characters, so their positions are left open without adding meaningless cells.
Begin with the vowel row. Add one consonant row, then mix the new characters with older ones. When a row feels familiar, switch to Recall so the hiragana shape—not the romaji— prompts the sound.
Hiragana study chart
Turn the chart into recall practice.
Focus on one row, hide the readings, or ask the chart to choose a character for you.
Current character
aVowels
Say the sound, then reveal the answer.
Matching katakana: ア
Read mode shows each romanized sound. Select any card to compare it with the other kana script.
を (wo): Traditionally romanized wo; normally pronounced o in modern standard Japanese, especially as the object particle.
Beyond the basic chart
Add sound marks first, then learn the most useful combinations with small kana. Switch to Recall when you want to test the readings at your own pace.
Readings are visible. Study one labelled group at a time before mixing them.
Level 2 · 25 variants
Dakuten changes kana such as か → がand creates the G, Z, D, and B rows. Handakuten changesは → ぱ and creates the P row.
Why ji and zu appear twice:じ and ぢ are both commonly romanized ji; ず andづ are both commonly romanized zu. They are distinct spellings, so learn which one belongs in each word.
Level 3 · 33 common combinations
These pair an i-row kana with smallゃ, ゅ, orょ. Read each pair as one compact sound unit rather than two full-sized kana.
Read these as compact units: for example,きゃ is kya, notkiya. Less-common spellings can be studied later in the words where they occur.
From characters to words
Read the hiragana first. Then open the meaning to check yourself. The goal is to connect the sounds, not memorize a word list.
One reading step
やまやま
Sound out the two characters, then read them as one word. The spaces and plus sign are only a learning aid; normal Japanese writes やま without spaces.
ear
mouth
foot; leg
mountain
water
sky
fish
car
You may later see some of these words written with kanji. For now, use them to practise reading hiragana smoothly.
Focused practice
Use several kinds of recall so the chart becomes reading knowledge rather than only a memorized song.
Say the vowel row clearly before adding consonant rows.
Trace or write each new character slowly enough to observe its parts.
Hide the romaji and move beyond row order so the character prompts the sound.
Put known kana together, then check the meaning after you have sounded out the word.
Keep a short list of characters you confuse and compare them directly.
This guide covers the modern basic kana, voiced and semi-voiced variants, and common small-y combinations through interactive recall and printable study sheets. For side-by-side semantic tables, special timing rules, and foreign-sound Katakana, use thecomplete Hiragana and Katakana reference.
Next script
You do not need perfect Hiragana recall. Reuse the same vowel order and sound rows while learning a new set of character shapes.
