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Learn all 46 basic hiragana plus yōon combinations through simple words (2-4 mora), romaji breakdowns, English meanings, and embedded audio. Tables organized by rows with anchor links for quick navigation—perfect for intuitive memorization via real Japanese vocabulary.
Table of Contents (use these for anchor links)
Use the bold headers below directly as anchor targets (e.g., #basic-vowels).
- Simple Words in Hiragana Table
- Hiragana Chart: Basic Vowels
- Hiragana Chart: K/G Row
- Hiragana Chart: S/Z Row
- Hiragana Chart: T/D Row
- Hiragana Chart: N Row
- Hiragana Chart: H/B/P Row
- Hiragana Chart: M Row
- Hiragana Chart: Y Row
- Hiragana Chart: R Row
- Hiragana Chart: W Row + ん
- Hiragana Chart: K-y Series
- Hiragana Chart: S-y/J-y Series
- Hiragana Chart: Ch-y/J-y Series
- Hiragana Chart: N-y Series
- Hiragana Chart: H/B/P-y Series
- Hiragana Chart: M-y Series
- Hiragana Chart: R-y Series
Simple words to help remember Hiragana characters.
| Japanese + audio shortcode | Romaji (syllables) | English |
|---|---|---|
| あさ <be /><be /> | a-sa | morning |
| いえ <be /><be /> | i-e | house / home |
| うみ <be /><be /> | u-mi | sea |
| えき <be /><be /> | e-ki | station |
| おに <be /><be /> | o-ni | ogre / demon (folklore) |
| かさ <be /><be /> | ka-sa | umbrella |
| きつね <be /><be /> | ki-tsu-ne | fox |
| くも <be /><be /> | ku-mo | cloud / spider (context) |
| けむり <be /><be /> | ke-mu-ri | smoke |
| こころ <be /><be /> | ko-ko-ro | heart / spirit |
| さかな <be /><be /> | sa-ka-na | fish |
| しお <be /><be /> | shi-o | salt |
| すな <be /><be /> | su-na | sand |
| せみ <be /><be /> | se-mi | cicada |
| そら <be /><be /> | so-ra | sky |
| たまご <be /><be /> | ta-ma-go | egg |
| ちず <be /><be /> | chi-zu | map |
| つき <be /><be /> | tsu-ki | moon |
| てがみ <be /><be /> | te-ga-mi | letter |
| とけい <be /><be /> | to-ke-i | clock |
| なつ <be /><be /> | na-tsu | summer |
| にわ <be /><be /> | ni-wa | garden / yard |
| ぬの <be /><be /> | nu-no | cloth |
| ねこ <be /><be /> | ne-ko | cat |
| のど <be /><be /> | no-do | throat |
| はな <be /><be /> | ha-na | nose / flower (context) |
| ひかり <be /><be /> | hi-ka-ri | light |
| ふね <be /><be /> | fu-ne | boat |
| へや <be /><be /> | he-ya | room |
| ほし <be /><be /> | ho-shi | star |
| まど <be /><be /> | ma-do | window |
| みみ <be /><be /> | mi-mi | ear |
| むし <be /><be /> | mu-shi | insect |
| めがね <be /><be /> | me-ga-ne | glasses |
| もり <be /><be /> | mo-ri | forest |
| やま <be /><be /> | ya-ma | mountain |
| ゆき <be /><be /> | yu-ki | snow |
| よる <be /><be /> | yo-ru | night |
| らく <be /><be /> | ra-ku | ease / comfort |
| りす <be /><be /> | ri-su | squirrel |
| るす <be /><be /> | ru-su | absence (at home) |
| れきし <be /><be /> | re-ki-shi | history |
| ろうそく <be /><be /> | ro-u-so-ku | candle |
| わに <be /><be /> | wa-ni | crocodile / alligator |
| をと <be /><be /> | o-to | sound (practice を as 「o」) |
| んべんきょう <be /><be /> | n-ben-kyo-u | “n” + study (made-up for ん practice) |
| きゃく <be /><be /> | kya-ku | guest |
| きゅう <be /><be /> | kyu-u | nine / urgent (context) |
| きょねん <be /><be /> | kyo-nen | last year |
| しゃしん <be /><be /> | sha-shin | photo |
| しゅみ <be /><be /> | shu-mi | hobby |
| しょてん <be /><be /> | sho-ten | bookstore / publishing house (context) |
| ちゃわん <be /><be /> | cha-wa-n | rice bowl |
| ちゅうごく <be /><be /> | chu-u-go-ku | China |
| ちょきん <be /><be /> | cho-kin | savings |
| にゃんこ <be /><be /> | nya-n-ko | kitty (cute word) |
| にゅうがく <be /><be /> | nyu-u-ga-ku | school entrance (enrolment) |
| にょろにょろ <be /><be /> | nyo-ro-nyo-ro | wriggling (sound‑symbolic) |
| ひゃく <be /><be /> | hya-ku | hundred |
| ひゅうひゅう <be /><be /> | hyu-u-hyu-u | whistling / howling wind (sound) |
| ひょう <be /><be /> | hyo-u | hail / leopard (context) |
| みゃく <be /><be /> | mya-ku | pulse |
| みゅう <be /><be /> | myu-u | “myu” sound (onomatopoeia‑style) |
| みょうじ <be /><be /> | myo-u-ji | family name |
| りゃく <be /><be /> | rya-ku | abbreviation |
| りゅう <be /><be /> | ryu-u | dragon / style (context) |
| りょこう <be /><be /> | ryo-ko-u | travel |
| がく <be /><be /> | ga-ku | study / frame (context) |
| ぎん <be /><be /> | gin | silver |
| ぐん <be /><be /> | gun | army |
| げんき <be /><be /> | gen-ki | healthy / fine |
| ごはん <be /><be /> | go-ha-n | rice / meal |
| ざっし <be /><be /> | za-sshi | magazine |
| じしょ <be /><be /> | ji-sho | dictionary |
| ずぼん <be /><be /> | zu-bo-n | trousers |
| ぜったい <be /><be /> | ze-ttai | absolutely |
| ぞう <be /><be /> | zo-u | elephant |
| だいがく <be /><be /> | da-i-ga-ku | university |
| ぢから <be /><be /> | ji-ka-ra | power (rare spelling; practice ぢ) |
| づつう <be /><be /> | zu-tsu-u | headache (practice づ) |
| でんしゃ <be /><be /> | den-sha | train |
| どうぶつ <be /><be /> | do-u-bu-tsu | animal |
| ばこ <be /><be /> | ba-ko | box (as in はこ; practice ば) |
| びょういん <be /><be /> | byo-u-i-n | hospital |
| ぶた <be /><be /> | bu-ta | pig |
| べんきょう <be /><be /> | ben-kyo-u | study |
| ぼうし <be /><be /> | bo-u-shi | hat |
| ぱん <be /><be /> | pan | bread |
| ぴかぴか <be /><be /> | pi-ka-pi-ka | shiny |
| ぷーる <be /><be /> | pu-u-ru | pool |
| ぺこぺこ <be /><be /> | pe-ko-pe-ko | very hungry (onomatopoeia) |
| ぽけっと <be /><be /> | po-ke-tt(o) |
Basic vowels
| Hiragana + audio | Romaji |
|---|---|
| あ <be /><be /> | a |
| い <be /><be /> | i |
| う <be /><be /> | u |
| え <be /><be /> | e |
| お <be /><be /> | o |
K / G row
| Hiragana + audio | Romaji |
|---|---|
| か <be /><be /> | ka |
| き <be /><be /> | ki |
| く <be /><be /> | ku |
| け <be /><be /> | ke |
| こ <be /><be /> | ko |
| が <be /><be /> | ga |
| ぎ <be /><be /> | gi |
| ぐ <be /><be /> | gu |
| げ <be /><be /> | ge |
| ご <be /><be /> | go |
S / Z row
| Hiragana + audio | Romaji |
|---|---|
| さ <be /><be /> | sa |
| し <be /><be /> | shi |
| す <be /><be /> | su |
| せ <be /><be /> | se |
| そ <be /><be /> | so |
| ざ <be /><be /> | za |
| じ <be /><be /> | ji |
| ず <be /><be /> | zu |
| ぜ <be /><be /> | ze |
| ぞ <be /><be /> | zo |
T / D row
| Hiragana + audio | Romaji |
|---|---|
| た <be /><be /> | ta |
| ち <be /><be /> | chi |
| つ <be /><be /> | tsu |
| て <be /><be /> | te |
| と <be /><be /> | to |
| だ <be /><be /> | da |
| ぢ <be /><be /> | ji (di) |
| づ <be /><be /> | zu (du) |
| で <be /><be /> | de |
| ど <be /><be /> | do |
N row
| Hiragana + audio | Romaji |
|---|---|
| な <be /><be /> | na |
| に <be /><be /> | ni |
| ぬ <be /><be /> | nu |
| ね <be /><be /> | ne |
| の <be /><be /> | no |
H / B / P row
| Hiragana + audio | Romaji |
|---|---|
| は <be /><be /> | ha |
| ひ <be /><be /> | hi |
| ふ <be /><be /> | fu |
| へ <be /><be /> | he |
| ほ <be /><be /> | ho |
| ば <be /><be /> | ba |
| び <be /><be /> | bi |
| ぶ <be /><be /> | bu |
| べ <be /><be /> | be |
| ぼ <be /><be /> | bo |
| ぱ <be /><be /> | pa |
| ぴ <be /><be /> | pi |
| ぷ <be /><be /> | pu |
| ぺ <be /><be /> | pe |
| ぽ <be /><be /> | po |
M row
| Hiragana + audio | Romaji |
|---|---|
| ま <be /><be /> | ma |
| み <be /><be /> | mi |
| む <be /><be /> | mu |
| め <be /><be /> | me |
| も <be /><be /> | mo |
Y row
| Hiragana + audio | Romaji |
|---|---|
| や <be /><be /> | ya |
| ゆ <be /><be /> | yu |
| よ <be /><be /> | yo |
R row
| Hiragana + audio | Romaji |
|---|---|
| ら <be /><be /> | ra |
| り <be /><be /> | ri |
| る <be /><be /> | ru |
| れ <be /><be /> | re |
| ろ <be /><be /> | ro |
W row + ん
| Hiragana + audio | Romaji |
|---|---|
| わ <be /><be /> | wa |
| を <be /><be /> | o (wo) |
| ん <be /><be /> | n |
Yōon (small ゃ・ゅ・ょ) – one sound per row
K‑y series
| Hiragana + audio | Romaji |
|---|---|
| きゃ <be /><be /> | kya |
| きゅ <be /><be /> | kyu |
| きょ <be /><be /> | kyo |
| ぎゃ <be /><be /> | gya |
| ぎゅ <be /><be /> | gyu |
| ぎょ <be /><be /> | gyo |
S‑y / J‑y series
| Hiragana + audio | Romaji |
|---|---|
| しゃ <be /><be /> | sha |
| しゅ <be /><be /> | shu |
| しょ <be /><be /> | sho |
| じゃ <be /><be /> | ja |
| じゅ <be /><be /> | ju |
| じょ <be /><be /> | jo |
Ch‑y / J‑y (ぢ)
| Hiragana + audio | Romaji |
|---|---|
| ちゃ <be /><be /> | cha |
| ちゅ <be /><be /> | chu |
| ちょ <be /><be /> | cho |
| ぢゃ <be /><be /> | ja (dya) |
| ぢゅ <be /><be /> | ju (dyu) |
| ぢょ <be /><be /> | jo (dyo) |
N‑y series
| Hiragana + audio | Romaji |
|---|---|
| にゃ <be /><be /> | nya |
| にゅ <be /><be /> | nyu |
| にょ <be /><be /> | nyo |
H / B / P‑y series
| Hiragana + audio | Romaji |
|---|---|
| ひゃ <be /><be /> | hya |
| ひゅ <be /><be /> | hyu |
| ひょ <be /><be /> | hyo |
| びゃ <be /><be /> | bya |
| びゅ <be /><be /> | byu |
| びょ <be /><be /> | byo |
| ぴゃ <be /><be /> | pya |
| ぴゅ <be /><be /> | pyu |
| ぴょ <be /><be /> | pyo |
M‑y series
| Hiragana + audio | Romaji |
|---|---|
| みゃ <be /><be /> | mya |
| みゅ <be /><be /> | myu |
| みょ <be /><be /> | myo |
R‑y series
| Hiragana + audio | Romaji |
|---|---|
| りゃ <be /><be /> | rya (often written “rya”) |
| りゅ <be /><be /> | ryu |
| りょ <be /><be /> | ryo |