posted in Everyday Japanese on November 3, 2025 by username 0 Comments

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)	pocket

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