Hiragana ひらがな
46 characters · phonetic
The foundation. Hiragana writes grammar particles like は and を, verb and adjective endings, native words, and the small furigana readings printed above kanji.
たべる taberu · to eat
JAPANESE ALPHABET GUIDE
How Many Letters in the Japanese Alphabet?
Japanese doesn't have one A–Z alphabet. It uses three writing systems: Hiragana (46 characters), Katakana (46 characters) and Kanji (2,136 in everyday use). The two kana scripts are fully phonetic, so once you learn their 46 sounds, you can pronounce any Japanese word out loud with zero guesswork.
Hiragana
& Katakana
& Katakana
46
Basic Characters
One set of core sounds, written two ways: soft, rounded Hiragana and sharp, angular Katakana.
あいうえお
Adds a "sound
boost"
boost"
20
Dakuten Variations
Add two small strokes (゛) and か becomes が: k turns to g, s to z, t to d, h to b.
がぎぐげご
A small circle
makes a difference
makes a difference
5
Handakuten Variations
A tiny circle (゜) on the h-row turns は into ぱ, giving you the crisp p sounds.
ぱぴぷぺぽ
104+
Total Spoken Sounds
These 46 base characters + 25 variations create 104+ distinct phonetic sounds (including combinations like kya, sho, etc.), giving you everything you need for complete spoken fluency.
Japanese Uses Three Writing Systems, Not One Alphabet
Everyday Japanese mixes three scripts in the same sentence, and each one has its own job.
- 私watashiIKanji
- はwagrammar wordHiragana
- コーヒーkōhīcoffeeKatakana
- をogrammar wordHiragana
- 飲みますnomimasudrinkKanji + Hiragana
Kanji carries the meaning, hiragana handles the grammar, and katakana spells words borrowed from other languages, like coffee. Notice the verb comes last.
Katakana カタカナ
46 characters · phonetic
The same 46 sounds in sharper shapes. Katakana is used for words borrowed from other languages, foreign names, sound effects, and emphasis.
カメラ kamera · camera
Kanji 漢字
2,136 jōyō kanji · meaning
Characters adopted from Chinese, where each one carries a meaning as well as a sound. Most have two kinds of reading: on'yomi (from Chinese) and kun'yomi (native Japanese). JLPT N5 covers around 100.
山 yama · mountain
Romaji ローマ字
Bonus · Latin letters
Japanese written with the A–Z alphabet. It isn't a native script: you'll see it on station signs and use it to type kana on a keyboard. Learn kana early so you don't come to rely on it.
さくら → sakura
The Two Phonetic Scripts of Japanese
Both scripts represent the exact same 46 syllables. Select a script below to launch its interactive practice deck:
Step 1 • Start Hereあ
Hiragana (ひらがな)
The Core Native Alphabet
Hiragana is the primary alphabet every Japanese child and beginner learns first. It is characterized by soft, rounded, cursive strokes and is used for native vocabulary, verb conjugations, and grammatical particles.
あa
いi
うu
えe
おo
- ✓ 46 Basic Characters + 25 Dakuten Variations
- ✓ 100% Phonetic (Each symbol has one reliable sound)
- ✓ Interactive practice canvas & natural Japanese audio
Step 2 • Loanwordsア
Katakana (カタカナ)
The International & Modern Script
Katakana features crisp, geometric, straight-edged strokes. It is primarily used for foreign loanwords (like コーヒー coffee or ホテル hotel), international country & person names, scientific terms, and onomatopoeia.
アa
イi
ウu
エe
オo
- ✓ Matches all 46 Hiragana phonetic pronunciations
- ✓ Essential for reading restaurant menus, signs & manga
- ✓ Animated stroke paths & freehand tracing tools
How the Japanese Alphabet Chart Works
Every kana chart follows the same simple grid. Once you spot the pattern, the whole chart clicks.
1
Five vowels across the top
Every column shares one vowel sound: a, i, u, e or o. Learn these five first and you already know how every column ends.
2
One consonant per row
Each row adds a consonant to the five vowels: k, s, t, n, h, m, y, r, w, with ん (n) on its own at the end. This order is called gojūon, “the fifty sounds”.
3
Marks and combinations
Two small strokes (゛) make a sound voiced, a small circle (゜) turns h into p, and a small ゃ, ゅ or ょ blends two kana into one beat.
Open a full chart
Each chart has natural Japanese audio and stroke order for every character.
What Are Dakuten and Handakuten?
Instead of inventing 25 brand new letters, Japanese uses two simple diacritic marks added to existing characters to modify their sound:
゛
Dakuten (濁点 • Ten-ten)
Two small diagonal strokes (voicing mark)
Adding a dakuten vibrates your vocal cords, transforming unvoiced consonants into voiced sounds:
K-row (か ka)→G-row (が ga)
S-row (さ sa)→Z-row (ざ za)
T-row (た ta)→D-row (だ da)
H-row (は ha)→B-row (ば ba)
゜
Handakuten (半濁点 • Maru)
A small open circle (semi-voicing mark)
Adding a handakuten applies only to the H-row, producing crisp plosive "P" sounds:
は (ha)→ぱ (pa)
ひ (hi)→ぴ (pi)
ふ (fu)→ぷ (pu)
へ / ほ (he / ho)→ぺ / ぽ (pe / po)
Your 3-Step Path to Reading Japanese
Learn the two kana scripts first, then start reading real words. A little every day is all it takes.
- Step 1
Hiragana
About 1–2 weeks
Start with the 46 core sounds. Grammar, word endings and furigana are all written in hiragana.
Practice Hiragana → - Step 2
Katakana
About 1–2 weeks
The same sounds in a second script, so you can read loanwords, foreign names and menus.
Practice Katakana → - Step 3
Vocabulary & Kanji
Start with JLPT N5, the beginner level
Learn everyday words the way they're really written, with furigana, example sentences and natural-sounding audio to help you along.
Start Learning Free →Practice kanji writing with Kanji Study ↗
Beginner FAQ
Japanese Alphabet Questions Beginners Ask
Quick, plain answers to the questions every new learner has.
How many letters are in the Japanese alphabet?
Japanese doesn't have one alphabet. It has 46 basic hiragana and 46 basic katakana, and both scripts write the same 46 sounds. Adding the dakuten and handakuten marks gives 71 characters per script. On top of that, about 2,136 kanji are in everyday use, but you learn those gradually, never all at once.
Is there a Japanese alphabet from A to Z?
No. Japanese characters stand for whole syllables like ka or mi, not single letters like A or B, so there is no direct A to Z match. The closest thing is romaji, which writes Japanese sounds using English letters. Kana charts are ordered by vowel and consonant instead: a, i, u, e, o, then ka, ki, ku, ke, ko, and so on.
Syllables, not letters
- あa
- かka
- さsa
- たta
- なna
Should I learn hiragana or katakana first?
Start with hiragana. It writes grammar, word endings and the small furigana readings printed above kanji, so you will see it in every sentence. Katakana uses the same sounds, so it goes much faster once hiragana feels comfortable.
How long does it take to learn hiragana and katakana?
With 15 to 20 minutes of practice a day, most beginners can read all of hiragana in one to two weeks, and katakana in about the same time after that. Writing them neatly takes a little longer. Short daily sessions work better than one long cram.
What is the difference between hiragana and katakana?
They make exactly the same sounds but look different and do different jobs. Hiragana is soft and rounded, and writes native Japanese words and grammar. Katakana is sharp and angular, and writes words borrowed from other languages, foreign names and sound effects.
Same sound, two shapes
- あ · アa
- か · カka
- さ · サsa
- の · ノno
Do I need to learn kanji to read Japanese?
Yes, eventually, because everyday Japanese is written with kanji. But you don't need any kanji to get started. Learn hiragana and katakana first, then pick up kanji a few at a time through the words you learn. Furigana, the small hiragana above kanji, lets you read words before you know their kanji.
Do I need hiragana and katakana for JLPT N5?
Yes. The JLPT is written entirely in kana and kanji, with no romaji anywhere, so you need to read both kana scripts just to follow the questions. N5, the beginner level, also expects you to recognise around 100 basic kanji, which you can pick up alongside your first vocabulary.
Can I learn Japanese using only romaji?
Romaji is fine for your first few days, but it becomes a crutch quickly. Japanese books, signs, apps and the JLPT exam are written in kana and kanji, not romaji. Switching to kana early makes reading and pronunciation much easier later on.
How do I write my name in Japanese?
Foreign names are usually written in katakana, spelled by how they sound rather than letter by letter. Because Japanese syllables mostly end in a vowel, some names change a little. Once you know katakana, you can spell your own name.
Names in katakana
- エマEmma
- ジョンJohn
- マリアMaria
Is the Japanese alphabet hard to learn?
Kana is the easy part. Each character has one fixed sound, and there are only five vowels, so pronunciation is very regular. Most beginners can read both kana scripts within a month. Kanji is what takes years, and you learn it a little at a time alongside vocabulary.
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