Learn Hiragana & Katakana
Japanese uses two phonetic alphabets: hiragana for native words and grammar, and katakana for foreign words and emphasis. Mastering both is the essential first step to reading Japanese. Click any character to see it larger, then test yourself with the quiz below.
Understanding the Japanese Writing System
Unlike English, which uses a single alphabet, Japanese uses three writing systems that work together. Hiragana (ひらがな) is the most fundamental — it represents every sound in the Japanese language and is used for native Japanese words, grammatical particles, and verb conjugations. Children in Japan learn hiragana first, and it forms the backbone of all Japanese reading.
Katakana (カタカナ) uses the same sounds as hiragana but with different characters. It is primarily used for words borrowed from other languages (like コーヒー koohii for "coffee" or コンピューター konpyuutaa for "computer"), foreign names, scientific terms, and for emphasis — similar to how English uses italics or bold text.
Both hiragana and katakana are phonetic, meaning each character represents a specific sound (a syllable), not a meaning. This makes them much easier to learn than kanji. There are 46 basic characters in each set, plus modified forms (dakuten and combinations) that bring the total to around 100 per alphabet.
The JLPT N5 exam requires you to read both hiragana and katakana fluently. Most learners can memorize the basic characters within two to four weeks of consistent practice. We recommend starting with hiragana, then moving to katakana once you feel comfortable. Use the interactive chart below to study each character, and take the quiz to reinforce your memory.