SaKana - KANA DIRECTORY
▼
Complete Japanese Kana Reference Hub

JAPANESE KANA MATRIX (五十音図)

Browse through 200+ authentic Hiragana and Katakana characters. Click any card to view detailed stroke counts, clear pronunciation audio, example words, and mnemonics.

Showing 104 of 104 charactersScript: hiragana
gojuon
あ
a
Looks like an apple with a stem.
gojuon
い
i
Two needles standing side-by-side.
gojuon
う
u
Someone hunching over with heavy baggage.
gojuon
え
e
An energetic runner or an exotic bird.
gojuon
お
o
Golf ball on green, with an 'O' loop.
gojuon
か
ka
A cutting blade or scythe cutting wheat.
gojuon
き
ki
Looks like an antique brass key.
gojuon
く
ku
Open bird's beak crying 'ku-ku'.
gojuon
け
ke
A wooden barrel or keg.
gojuon
こ
ko
Two parallel lines, like two playful koi fish.
gojuon
さ
sa
A samurai dancer pointing a fan.
gojuon
し
shi
A fishing hook underwater.
gojuon
す
su
A swimmer looping in the pool.
gojuon
せ
se
A person resting on a scenic bench.
gojuon
そ
so
A sewing needle making a zig-zag stitch.
gojuon
た
ta
Looks just like the letters 't' and 'a'.
gojuon
ち
chi
A cheerleader doing a flip (number 5 shape).
gojuon
つ
tsu
A massive tsunami wave curling.
gojuon
て
te
A dog's tail wagging or a table curve.
gojuon
と
to
A thorn stuck in a big toe.
gojuon
な
na
A nun praying before a cross.
gojuon
に
ni
Needle and two threads on the right.
gojuon
ぬ
nu
Chopsticks tangling noodles with a loop.
gojuon
ね
ne
A cat curling its tail.
gojuon
の
no
A 'No Smoking' circle slash sign.
gojuon
は
ha
Standing person laughing 'ha-ha'.
gojuon
ひ
hi
A happy smiling face with chin up.
gojuon
ふ
fu
Mount Fuji with clouds on each side.
gojuon
へ
he
Mountaintop or hill shape.
gojuon
ほ
ho
A horse wearing a cap.
gojuon
ま
ma
A mask with two straps.
gojuon
み
mi
Looks like musical notes or lucky 21.
gojuon
む
mu
A cow saying 'Moo' with a loop.
gojuon
め
me
An eye with beautiful eyelashes (me = eye in JP).
gojuon
も
mo
A fish hook catching more worms.
gojuon
や
ya
A yacht sailing on water.
gojuon
ゆ
yu
A fish swimming up (looks like a stylized fish).
gojuon
よ
yo
A yo-yo swinging on a string.
gojuon
ら
ra
A rabbit sitting with long ears.
gojuon
り
ri
Two river reeds swaying in water.
gojuon
る
ru
A route that has a loop at the bottom.
gojuon
れ
re
A racer running rightward.
gojuon
ろ
ro
Road without a loop (open route).
gojuon
わ
wa
A white swan floating calmly.
gojuon
を
wo
A cheerleader jumping over a fence (object particle).
gojuon
ん
n
Looks just like lowercase letter 'n'.
dakuon
が
ga
か (ka) with dakuten marks.
dakuon
ぎ
gi
き (ki) with dakuten marks.
dakuon
ぐ
gu
く (ku) with dakuten marks.
dakuon
げ
ge
け (ke) with dakuten marks.
dakuon
ご
go
こ (ko) with dakuten marks.
dakuon
ざ
za
さ (sa) with dakuten marks.
dakuon
じ
ji
し (shi) with dakuten marks.
dakuon
ず
zu
す (su) with dakuten marks.
dakuon
ぜ
ze
せ (se) with dakuten marks.
dakuon
ぞ
zo
そ (so) with dakuten marks.
dakuon
だ
da
た (ta) with dakuten marks.
dakuon
ぢ
ji
ち (chi) with dakuten marks (pronounced 'ji').
dakuon
づ
zu
つ (tsu) with dakuten marks (pronounced 'zu').
dakuon
で
de
て (te) with dakuten marks.
dakuon
ど
do
と (to) with dakuten marks.
dakuon
ば
ba
は (ha) with dakuten marks.
dakuon
び
bi
ひ (hi) with dakuten marks.
dakuon
ぶ
bu
ふ (fu) with dakuten marks.
dakuon
べ
be
へ (he) with dakuten marks.
dakuon
ぼ
bo
ほ (ho) with dakuten marks.
handakuon
ぱ
pa
は (ha) with a handakuten circle (pop).
handakuon
ぴ
pi
ひ (hi) with a handakuten circle.
handakuon
ぷ
pu
ふ (fu) with a handakuten circle.
handakuon
ぺ
pe
へ (he) with a handakuten circle.
handakuon
ぽ
po
ほ (ho) with a handakuten circle.
yoon
きゃ
kya
Combination of ki (き) + small ya (ゃ).
yoon
きゅ
kyu
Combination of ki (き) + small yu (ゅ).
yoon
きょ
kyo
Combination of ki (き) + small yo (ょ).
yoon
しゃ
sha
Combination of shi (し) + small ya (ゃ).
yoon
しゅ
shu
Combination of shi (し) + small yu (ゅ).
yoon
しょ
sho
Combination of shi (し) + small yo (ょ).
yoon
ちゃ
cha
Combination of chi (ち) + small ya (ゃ).
yoon
ちゅ
chu
Combination of chi (ち) + small yu (ゅ).
yoon
ちょ
cho
Combination of chi (ち) + small yo (ょ).
yoon
にゃ
nya
Combination of ni (に) + small ya (ゃ).
yoon
にゅ
nyu
Combination of ni (に) + small yu (ゅ).
yoon
にょ
nyo
Combination of ni (に) + small yo (ょ).
yoon
ひゃ
hya
Combination of hi (ひ) + small ya (ゃ).
yoon
ひゅ
hyu
Combination of hi (ひ) + small yu (ゅ).
yoon
ひょ
hyo
Combination of hi (ひ) + small yo (ょ).
yoon
みゃ
mya
Combination of mi (み) + small ya (ゃ).
yoon
みゅ
myu
Combination of mi (み) + small yu (ゅ).
yoon
みょ
myo
Combination of mi (み) + small yo (ょ).
yoon
りゃ
rya
Combination of ri (り) + small ya (ゃ).
yoon
りゅ
ryu
Combination of ri (り) + small yu (ゅ).
yoon
りょ
ryo
Combination of ri (り) + small yo (ょ).
yoon
ぎゃ
gya
Combination of gi (ぎ) + small ya (ゃ).
yoon
ぎゅ
gyu
Combination of gi (ぎ) + small yu (ゅ).
yoon
ぎょ
gyo
Combination of gi (ぎ) + small yo (ょ).
yoon
じゃ
ja
Combination of ji (じ) + small ya (ゃ).
yoon
じゅ
ju
Combination of ji (じ) + small yu (ゅ).
yoon
じょ
jo
Combination of ji (じ) + small yo (ょ).
yoon
びゃ
bya
Combination of bi (び) + small ya (ゃ).
yoon
びゅ
byu
Combination of bi (び) + small yu (ゅ).
yoon
びょ
byo
Combination of bi (び) + small yo (ょ).
yoon
ぴゃ
pya
Combination of pi (ぴ) + small ya (ゃ).
yoon
ぴゅ
pyu
Combination of pi (ぴ) + small yu (ゅ).
yoon
ぴょ
pyo
Combination of pi (ぴ) + small yo (ょ).

Understanding Japanese Kana (Hiragana & Katakana)

Hiragana (ひらがな)

Hiragana is the foundational Japanese phonetic script consisting of 46 primary Gojūon sounds, plus voiced (Dakuon) and combination (Yōon) characters. It is used for native Japanese words, grammar particles (は, が, を), and verb and adjective inflections (okurigana).

Katakana (カタカナ)

Katakana features sharper, more angular strokes and represents the exact same 46 sound units as Hiragana. It is primarily used for foreign loanwords (gairaigo), scientific terminology, onomatopoeia, and company or product branding in anime and tech.