1.1: Introduction to Hiragana

 

In this module, we’ll cover the basics of hiragana, focusing on how to read it effectively.

What is hiragana?

Hiragana is one of the three scripts in the Japanese writing system, as shown below:

Hiragana (ひらがな)

Katakana (カタカナ)

Kanji (漢字)

 

Hiragana is often your first step into the world of Japanese. It’s primarily used to convey grammatical details and link kanji characters within sentences. Think of it as the glue that holds sentences together, making it easier to read and write in Japanese!

 

In modern Japanese writing, all three scripts are used together in sentences. For example:

私は今日日本語のクラスでひらがなを勉強します。

Watashi wa kyou Nihongo no kurasu de hiragana o benkyou shimasu.

I will study hiragana in a Japanese class today.

 

Here’s a brief overview of the distinct roles each script plays in the Japanese language. Please note that these are guidelines and exceptions do exist:

• Kanji are used to represent certain words or parts of words. They are usually content words such as nouns, adjective stems and verb stems. Each kanji character has its own meaning and one or more readings (ways to pronounce it), which you will learn in Chapter 7. For example, 勉強 is a noun-verb compound made of two kanji characters, 勉 (meaning ‘exertion’) and 強 (meaning ‘strong’). Together, they represent the concept of ‘study’ or ‘learning’. In Japanese, many verbs are formed by combining a kanji noun with the verb する (suru: to do), making it a verb phrase.
• Hiragana are used to provide grammatical information and fill in the gaps between kanji characters.
• Katakana are usually used for emphasis or to represent words borrowed from languages other than Chinese (you will learn katakana in Chapter 4).

Keep in mind that hiragana is phonetic, which means the same sentence can be written entirely in hiragana like this:

わたしはきょうにほんごのくらすでひらがなをべんきょうします。

 

This approach is especially beneficial for beginners in Japanese, as it allows them to learn reading and writing in a more straightforward manner. It provides an accessible method to grasp the language’s basics before tackling the more complex kanji script.

However, interpreting sentences written entirely in hiragana can be challenging, as the absence of kanji makes it harder to distinguish the grammatical function of each word.

 

Now, let’s delve deeper into the topic of hiragana.

How many hiragana characters are there?

Hiragana consists of a set of 46 basic characters in the Japanese writing system. While there are additional hiragana characters, which we will explore later in Module 2.2, for now, let’s focus on these 46 fundamental ones.

How can I read words in hiragana?

Reading hiragana is not only straightforward but also quite enjoyable! Every hiragana character represents a syllable, akin to a small sound unit that forms words. These syllables can be just a single vowel sound (like the hiragana character あ for a) or a combination of a consonant and a vowel (like the hiragana character か for ka).

Now, for the fun part: when pronouncing these characters, treat each one as a mora, a phonological unit used in some languages, including Japanese. This approach ensures you give each character approximately the same amount of time and rhythm in your speech.

Take にほん (Nihon: Japan), for example, which comprises three moras (Ni-ho-n), each pronounced with equal duration. It’s similar to following a steady beat in music, adding a rhythmic aspect to speaking Japanese!

 

Some examples of Japanese syllables include:

• ka in the word kami (hair or paper)

• shi in the word shika (deer)

• nu in the word inu (dog)

• re in the word remon (lemon)

• ho in the word hoshi (star)

Should I memorise all the hiragana characters now to read the book?

The answer is ‘no’! There is no need to memorise all the hiragana characters to read this book at this stage. Instead, we will use the Roman alphabet, also known as romaji, to represent the Japanese sounds.

Romaji is a useful tool for writing and reading Japanese words phonetically, especially for those who are not yet familiar with the three scripts.

For example, in Japan, you will often see romaji on signboards at train stations, as shown in Figure 1:

 

Figure 1: Hibarigaoka Station Signboard

 

Romaji helps English speakers  who are not familiar with the writing system to read and understand Japanese words more easily!

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Here is a downloadable PDF chart of basic hiragana that you can utilise to enhance your everyday Japanese learning experience. The chart is read from top to bottom, and left to right.

 

Basic hiragana chart 

あ (a)	か (ka)	さ (sa)	た (ta)	な (na)	は (ha)	ま (ma)	や (ya)	ら (ra)	わ (wa)
い (i)	き (ki)	し (shi)	ち (chi/ti)	に (ni)	ひ (hi)	み (mi)		り (ri)
う (u)	く (ku)	す (su)	つ (tsu)	ぬ (nu)	ふ (fu/hu)	む (mu)	ゆ (yu)	る (ru)	を (o)
え (e)	け (ke)	せ (se)	て (te)	ね (ne)	へ (he)	め (me)		れ (re)
お (o)	こ (ko)	そ (so)	と (to)	の (no)	ほ (ho)	も (mo)	よ (yo)	ろ (ro)	ん (n)

Please note that in this textbook, ち and ふ are represented as chi and fu, respectively, following the Hepburn system of romanisation. However, in some romanisation systems, they might be represented as ti and hu, respectively.

Basic Hiragana Chart Japanese Introductory 1 (PDF 62 KB)

 

 

Typing in Japanese chart 

Curious about typing in Japanese on your computer? Whether you’re a pro or just starting out, we’ve got you covered!

If you don’t have a Japanese keyboard or aren’t sure how to use one, don’t worry. Take a look at our easy-to-follow instructions below. They’ll guide you through setting up Japanese input on your computer and show you the basics of typing in Japanese.

How to Set Up Japanese Keyboard Input Japanese Introductory 1 (PDF 168 KB)

 

 

What are the key benefits of learning hiragana?

Here are some good reasons why learning hiragana offers a good foundation for your Japanese language studies:

• Hiragana forms the core of the Japanese writing system. It is often used to represent sentence elements, for which there are no kanji characters. So, by mastering hiragana, you will mostly be able to read and write in Japanese.
• Hiragana serves as a foundation for learning the two other scripts, katakana and kanji. Knowing hiragana will make it easier for you to build your reading and writing skills in Japanese.
• Learning hiragana will help you to improve your pronunciation of Japanese words. Each hiragana character corresponds to a specific sound (or mora). So, by learning hiragana, you will be able to pronounce words clearly and appropriately.
• Last, but not least, learning hiragana can give you a sense of accomplishment! It can be highly motivating and boost your confidence in your language-learning abilities.

In sum, learning hiragana is a great first step for those starting out in Japanese. It creates a solid base for comprehending, writing and reading the language, and it is crucial for communicating effectively in Japanese.

 

Further resources

To further enhance your understanding of the benefits of learning hiragana, you may find the following resource (about 3 minutes long) created by Tofugu to be useful. It also provides you with an overview of how hiragana functions, which will be covered in more detail in the subsequent modules in this chapter:

One or more interactive elements has been excluded from this version of the text. You can view them online here: https://oercollective.caul.edu.au/japanese/?p=306#oembed-1

Figures

1. “Hibarigaoka Station Signboard” by Chuoterminal 02. Wikimedia Commons. Licensed under CC by SA 4.0.

 

References

Tofugu. “Learn Hiragana Today #1: Pronunciation.” YouTube video, 3:15. August 12, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-3opZIjwr0.