Hiragana & katakana chart
Compare the two scripts side by side, check a reading, then try it from memory. This chart covers all 208 prompts in Kana Sprint: 104 in each script.
Hiragana and katakana represent the same set of basic sounds. Hiragana appears in grammatical endings, particles and many Japanese words; katakana is often used for borrowed words and names. Learn to recognize both shapes for each reading.
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Basic kana
Each script has 46 basic characters. Read the hiragana on the left, the katakana on the right, then check the romaji beneath them.
- あアa
- いイi
- うウu
- えエe
- おオo
- かカka
- きキki
- くクku
- けケke
- こコko
- さサsa
- しシshi
- すスsu
- せセse
- そソso
- たタta
- ちチchi
- つツtsu
- てテte
- とトto
- なナna
- にニni
- ぬヌnu
- ねネne
- のノno
- はハha
- ひヒhi
- ふフfu
- へヘhe
- ほホho
- まマma
- みミmi
- むムmu
- めメme
- もモmo
- やヤya
- ゆユyu
- よヨyo
- らラra
- りリri
- るルru
- れレre
- ろロro
- わワwa
- をヲwo
- んンn
Dakuten and handakuten
The two small strokes in が change ka to ga. The small circle in ぱ changes ha to pa. These marks are part of the character: notice them before answering.
- がガga
- ぎギgi
- ぐグgu
- げゲge
- ごゴgo
- ざザza
- じジji
- ずズzu
- ぜゼze
- ぞゾzo
- だダda
- ぢヂji
- づヅzu
- でデde
- どドdo
- ばバba
- びビbi
- ぶブbu
- べベbe
- ぼボbo
- ぱパpa
- ぴピpi
- ぷプpu
- ぺペpe
- ぽポpo
Small-y combinations
A small ゃ, ゅ or ょ joins the preceding kana to form a combined sound: きゃ is kya, while きや is ki followed by ya. The same distinction applies to small ャ, ュ and ョ in katakana.
- きゃキャkya
- きゅキュkyu
- きょキョkyo
- しゃシャsha
- しゅシュshu
- しょショsho
- ちゃチャcha
- ちゅチュchu
- ちょチョcho
- にゃニャnya
- にゅニュnyu
- にょニョnyo
- ひゃヒャhya
- ひゅヒュhyu
- ひょヒョhyo
- みゃミャmya
- みゅミュmyu
- みょミョmyo
- りゃリャrya
- りゅリュryu
- りょリョryo
- ぎゃギャgya
- ぎゅギュgyu
- ぎょギョgyo
- じゃジャja
- じゅジュju
- じょジョjo
- びゃビャbya
- びゅビュbyu
- びょビョbyo
- ぴゃピャpya
- ぴゅピュpyu
- ぴょピョpyo
Reading notes: romaji is a guide
The chart uses the readings taught in Kana Sprint, including Hepburn forms such as shi, chi, tsu and fu. Some typing systems accept other spellings. In practice, type the reading rather than switching to a Japanese keyboard.
- じ・ぢ / ジ・ヂ and ず・づ / ズ・ヅ
- These pairs share the readings ji and zu in the chart. They are different written characters; do not substitute one for the other when spelling a word.
- を / ヲ and the particles は・へ
- Kana Sprint displays wo for を to identify the character and also accepts o. In sentences, を is pronounced o; は and へ are pronounced wa and e when used as particles. Isolated は and へ prompts use ha and he.
- Small っ / ッ and the long-vowel mark ー
- Small っ signals a pause or doubled consonant, as in きって (kitte). The mark ー extends the preceding vowel, as in コーヒー (kōhī, coffee). They occur in words but are not separate prompts in this chart.
This is the app’s practice curriculum, not a list of every possible katakana spelling. Extended loanword combinations such as ティ are outside the kana drill.
Turn the chart into reading practice
- Choose one script and start with basic kana. Cover the romaji, name a character, then uncover its reading to check.
- Open hiragana and katakana typing practice, choose Main Kana and a 10-kana run. Build accuracy before trying to beat a time.
- Review the characters you missed. Watch for small marks and small kana instead of guessing from the overall shape.
- Add dakuten and combinations when you are ready. Then try Japanese vocabulary practice to read kana inside words.
Ready for context? Browse 50 everyday Japanese sentences with romaji and English. Notice where particles sound different from their isolated chart readings.
Listen and check stroke order
A text chart cannot replace listening. The Japan Foundation’s Marugoto Plus has hiragana sounds and stroke order and katakana sounds and stroke order for further study.