Writing System
Learn about the Japanese writing system.
Hiragana (ひらがな)
Used for native Japanese words, grammar particles, and verb endings (okurigana). It has a cursive, rounded appearance.
Katakana (カタカナ)
Used primarily for foreign loanwords, scientific names, and emphasis (like italics). It has a sharp, angular appearance.
Kanji (漢字)
Used for meaning. Logographic characters adapted from Chinese.
Romaji (ローマ字)
Japanese sounds represented using the Latin alphabet. Primarily used for computer input and for non-Japanese speakers.
| Kanji (漢字) | Kana | Romaji (ローマ字) |
|---|---|---|
| 私 | わたし | watashi |
| 猫 | ねこ | neko |
| 桜 | さくら | sakura |
| - | コーヒー | kōhī |
Odoriji (踊り字)
Iteration marks used to repeat the preceding character. The most common one is 々, which repeats the Kanji before it. For example, 人々 is read as hitobito (people), where 々 repeats the Kanji 人 (hito).
hitobito
tokidoki
hibi
iroiro
Furigana/Ruby (振り仮名)
Small Hiragana or Katakana placed above or beside Kanji to show how to read them.
Examples
- Watashi wa Nihon no gakusei desu.
私は日本の学生です。
Writing Variations
Some words can be written in multiple forms depending on the context or style.
Thank you:
Coffee: