Hiragana is one of Japan’s two kana syllabaries. Its 46 basic characters are used for native Japanese words, grammar, particles, and word endings. Each character generally represents a sound unit called a mora.

Katakana is the other kana syllabary. Its 46 basic characters represent the same basic sounds as Hiragana. It is commonly used for foreign loanwords, foreign names, onomatopoeia (sound words), and emphasis.

あ and ア both represent “a”, but belong to different writing systems.

Romaji represents Japanese pronunciation using Latin letters. It helps beginners recognize and type Japanese sounds. It is not a separate Japanese alphabet. As you practice, gradually learn to recognize kana without needing Romaji.

Kanji are characters of Chinese origin used in Japanese writing. They often represent meaningful units within words and may have multiple readings depending on the word or context. Kana Bento currently focuses on kana and Romaji, rather than full Kanji instruction.

These are the 46 foundational characters in each syllabary: Hiragana and Katakana. Each pair below has the same sound.

Dakuten are two small marks (゛) that change the pronunciation of certain kana. The same rule applies to Katakana.

• か (ka) → が (ga)
• さ (sa) → ざ (za)
• た (ta) → だ (da)
• は (ha) → ば (ba)

Handakuten is a small circle (゜) that changes H-row sounds into P sounds.

• は (ha) → ぱ (pa)
• ひ (hi) → ぴ (pi)
• ふ (fu) → ぷ (pu)

Yōon combines certain kana with a smaller ゃ, ゅ, or ょ to create blended sounds. The second character is smaller and changes the sound of the combination.

• き + ゃ = きゃ (kya)
• し + ゅ = しゅ (shu)
• ち + ょ = ちょ (cho)

Compare きや (ki-ya, two morae) with きゃ (kya, one mora). The small ゃ makes a difference!