Hiragana is one of the fundamental components of the Japanese writing system. It consists of 46 basic characters, which represent syllables rather than individual sounds like in the English alphabet. Here’s a complete list of hiragana, along with some tricks to help you remember each character.
1. あ (a)
Trick: Think of it as an apple with a stem and a leaf. The curve at the top is the leaf.
2. い (i)
Trick: It looks like two people standing side by side, possibly saying "ii" (good).
3. う (u)
Trick: Imagine a hook, like a fishing hook. Think of "U" as in "hook."
4. え (e)
Trick: This looks like a man holding an exercise bar above his head—'exercise.'
5. お (o)
Trick: It resembles a person with their arms raised. Think of someone shouting "O!"
6. か (ka)
Trick: Looks like a kite flying in the air with a tail. Think "ka" for "kite."
7. き (ki)
Trick: Imagine it as a key, with the top part as the head of the key and the lower part as the teeth.
8. く (ku)
Trick: Looks like the beak of a bird, and birds go "ku-ku."
9. け (ke)
Trick: Looks like a kendo (Japanese swordsmanship) player holding a sword.
10. こ (ko)
Trick: Resembles two curved lines, like a fish hook. Think of catching "ko-i" (carp) with it.
11. さ (sa)
Trick: Think of it as a sail, with the top line being the mast of the boat.
12. し (shi)
Trick: It resembles a hook with a swish, like a fish swimming. Think of "sh" as in "shh, be quiet."
13. す (su)
Trick: This looks like a swirl, or a fancy tail. Think of the swirly “s” in “super.”
14. せ (se)
Trick: Looks like a smiley face being drawn, thinking "se" as in "selfie" and smiling.
15. そ (so)
Trick: Looks like a sewing needle with thread, sewing the word "so."
16. た (ta)
Trick: Looks like a person doing a tap dance. Think "ta" for "tap."
17. ち (chi)
Trick: Resembles a cheerleader’s pompom with a tiny arm. Think of "chi" for "cheer."
18. つ (tsu)
Trick: Looks like a mouth blowing out a candle. Think "tsu" for "suit."
19. て (te)
Trick: Looks like the letter "t" on top, and "te" starts with "t."
20. と (to)
Trick: Looks like a toe with a toenail. Think "to" for "toe."
21. な (na)
Trick: Imagine a knot tied in a rope. "Na" for "knot."
22. に (ni)
Trick: Think of it as a needle and thread used for knitting. "Ni" for "needle."
23. ぬ (nu)
Trick: Think of noodles swirling around. "Nu" for noodles.
24. ね (ne)
Trick: Looks like a net, or a little cat sleeping ("neko" means cat in Japanese).
25. の (no)
Trick: Looks like a nose with a round shape. "No" for nose.
26. は (ha)
Trick: Looks like a hut, or think "ha" for "house."
27. ひ (hi)
Trick: Looks like a heel. Think "hi" for high heel.
28. ふ (fu)
Trick: Resembles a blowing leaf. Think "fu" as in "whoosh" of the wind.
29. へ (he)
Trick: It looks like a hill. "He" for hill.
30. ほ (ho)
Trick: Resembles a sailboat with a mast. "Ho" for hoist the sail.
31. ま (ma)
Trick: Looks like the loop of a magic wand. "Ma" for magic.
32. み (mi)
Trick: Looks like two noodles intertwined. "Mi" for "meandering."
33. む (mu)
Trick: Think of a cow’s tail. "Mu" for "moo."
34. め (me)
Trick: Resembles an eye. "Me" means eye in Japanese.
35. も (mo)
Trick: Think of more fish hooks (mo). The loops look like fishing hooks.
36. や (ya)
Trick: Looks like the shape of a yak’s horns. "Ya" for yak.
37. ゆ (yu)
Trick: Think of it as a U-turn on a road. "Yu" for U-turn.
38. よ (yo)
Trick: Looks like the letter Y. "Yo" for yo-yo.
39. ら (ra)
Trick: Imagine a rabbit hopping. "Ra" for rabbit.
40. り (ri)
Trick: Looks like reeds blowing in the wind. "Ri" for reeds.
41. る (ru)
Trick: Looks like a loop. "Ru" for a loop of ribbon.
42. れ (re)
Trick: Imagine a racetrack with a car rounding the bend. "Re" for race.
43. ろ (ro)
Trick: Looks like a road turning a corner. "Ro" for road.
44. わ (wa)
Trick: Looks like a wasp’s sting at the end. "Wa" for wasp.
45. を (wo)
Trick: Looks like a fish with an open mouth, ready to eat. "Wo" for whoa (a big fish).
46. ん (n)
Trick: Resembles a worm or a river. "N" for the end of a word.
Voiced Sounds (with two little marks called dakuten or tenten):
- か → が (ka → ga)
- さ → ざ (sa → za)
- た → だ (ta → da)
- は → ば (ha → ba) / ぱ (ha → pa)
By visualizing the shapes of the characters and linking them to everyday objects or ideas, you can quickly memorize the hiragana alphabet and their associated sounds. Practicing writing and recognizing these characters will solidify your understanding.
