Meguro Language Center
HIRAGANA KATAKANA ひらがな カタカナ
The rules in Hiragana
(1) Long vowels
-
a is represented by adding あ .
■
-
-
-
asan (mother) おかあさん 、 m
ok
am
a (so-so)
i are represented by adding い .
-
■ ii and
-
oniisan (older brother) おにいさん 、 ojiisan/oj
isan (grandfather)
-
u is represented by adding う .
■
-
-
ugata (early evening) ゆうがた 、 ch
y
ugoku (China)
-
-
k
、 taif
u (typhoon)
uki (air)
-
e is represented by adding え in the words of Japanese origin.
■
-
esan (older sister) おねえさん
on
■ ei is written in えい in the words of Chinese origin.
-
Eigo (English) えいご 、 y
umei (famous)
、 gakusei (studnet)
sensei (teacher)
-
o is represented by adding う .
■
-
-
-
onara さようなら 、 by
say
、 ky
o (today)
oin (hospital)
-
-
D
omo arigat
o gozaimasu.
■ I n some words it is traditionally written in お .
_
_
_
kii (big) おおきい 、 to
o
、 to
ri (street)
(ten)
(2) Double consonants
■ Double consonants (kk, pp, ss, and tt) are represented by small っ . As small っ indicates
a one-syllable pause, the mouth prepares for the pronunciation of the next syllable.
-
o (school) がっこう 、 ikkai (once)
gakk
、 roppyakuen (\600)
ikko (one small object)
、 kippu (ticket)
juppun (10 min.)
、 ippiki (one small animal)
ippon (one long object)
、 issatsu (one book)
zasshi (magazine)
9