Lesson 1:What Are Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji?

What Are Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji?

Japanese is unique — it uses three scripts (types of characters) together! Let’s learn what each one is:

1. Hiragana (ひらがな)

• Soft, round, and smooth-looking
• Used for Japanese words, grammar, and endings
• Example: こんにちは (Hello)

Hiragana is the first script you should learn. It helps you read simple words and make sentences.

2. Katakana (カタカナ)

• Sharp, straight, and angular
• Used for foreign words, names, and sound effects
• Example: アイスクリーム (Ice cream), コンピュータ (Computer)

If you hear an English word in Japanese, it’s usually written in Katakana!

3. Kanji (漢字)

• Complex characters from Chinese
• Each Kanji has a meaning
• Example: 山 = mountain, 水 = water, 日 = sun/day

Kanji takes time to learn, but don’t worry — we’ll focus on Hiragana first!

Summary Table

Tip for Learners: You don’t need to learn all three at once. Start with Hiragana — it’s your first step to reading and writing Japanese!