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Everyday Life • Language

Hiragana

Hiragana is a Japanese phonetic syllabary and one of the three main writing systems used in Japanese, alongside katakana and kanji.

Updated July 28, 20261 min readCited sources

Hiragana is a Japanese phonetic syllabary used for grammar, native words, and furigana. It is one of the three main writing systems in Japanese, alongside katakana and kanji.

What it is

Hiragana is a phonetic script where each character represents a sound or syllable. Standard modern usage includes 46 basic characters. It is the most cursive of the kana scripts and is typically the first writing system taught to Japanese children and beginning learners.

Why it matters

Hiragana is essential for reading and writing Japanese. It handles grammatical particles, verb and adjective endings, and native words where kanji is not used. It also appears in furigana, which provides readings for kanji, making it a key tool for literacy and language learning.

Key details

Hiragana developed from simplified Chinese characters around the 9th century. It is distinct from katakana, which is more angular and used for loanwords. Japanese writing often mixes hiragana, katakana, and kanji. For Canadian readers, hiragana is relevant through Japanese language study, translation, and Canada's Japanese-speaking communities.

In short

  • Hiragana is a phonetic syllabary with 46 basic characters.
  • It is used for grammar, native words, and furigana.
  • It is the first script taught to Japanese children.
  • It differs from katakana in style and typical use.
Canadian angle

Hiragana is relevant to Canadian readers through Japanese language study, education, translation, and Canada’s Japanese-speaking communities.

Quick questions

What is hiragana?
Hiragana is a Japanese phonetic syllabary used as part of the Japanese writing system.
How many basic hiragana characters are there?
Standard modern hiragana is commonly described as having 46 basic characters.
How is hiragana different from katakana?
Both are kana syllabaries, but hiragana is more cursive and used for grammar and native words, while katakana is more angular and used for loanwords.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiragana
    Supports: Defines hiragana as a Japanese syllabary and notes its relationship to katakana and kanji, plus the meaning of the term.
  2. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/topic/hiragana
    Supports: Explains hiragana’s uses in Japanese grammar and native words and contrasts it with katakana.
  3. LibreTexts — https://human.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Languages/Japanese/Japanese_Introductory_1_(Hamada)/01:_Head_Start_with_Japanese/1.01:_Introduction_to_Hiragana
    Supports: States that hiragana is one of the three scripts in Japanese and gives the standard count of 46 basic characters.
  4. Japan Guide — https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2047.html
    Supports: Describes hiragana as part of kana, notes its historical development and common modern uses, and states it is usually taught first to children.