Basic Japanese Writing Series Overview

Introduction

• Learn Japanese writing: Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji.
• Focus of series: Hiragana and Katakana.
• Hiragana: Each character represents one syllable sound.
• Katakana: Used mostly for foreign words.
• Kanji: Represents words or concepts, complex with multiple readings.

Lesson 1: Hiragana Basics

• Focus on the first five Hiragana characters.
• Characters: あ (a), い (i), う (u), え (e), お (o).
• Used for functional words and often seen at the end of adjectives and verbs.
• Mnemonic Tips:
  • あ (a): Looks like an apple.
  • い (i): Resembles two eyes.
  • う (u): Boxer getting punched.
  • え (e): Energetic ninja.
  • お (o): UFO with a floating stroke.

Lesson 2: Advanced Hiragana

• Characters: か (ka), が (ga), き (ki), ぎ (gi), く (ku), ぐ (gu), け (ke), げ (ge), こ (ko), ご (go).
• だくてん (Voicing Marks): Add voicing to consonants (e.g., か to が).
• Mnemonic Tips:
  • か (ka): Blade cutting a stick.
  • き (ki): Looks like a key.
  • く (ku): Cuckoo's beak.
  • こ (ko): Two koi fish.

Lesson 3: Hiragana S-Column

• Characters: さ (sa), ざ (za), し (shi), じ (ji), す (su), ず (zu), せ (se), ぜ (ze), そ (so), ぞ (zo).
• さ (sa) looks sad (one less line than か).
• し (shi) resembles a fishing hook.
• せ (se): M face sideways.
• そ (so): Zigzag sewing stitch.

Lesson 4: Hiragana T-Column

• Characters: た (ta), だ (da), ち (chi), ぢ (ji), つ (tsu), づ (zu), て (te), で (de), と (to), ど (do).
• Special: っ (small tsu) used to prolong consonant sounds.
• Mnemonic Tips:
  • つ (tsu): Tsunami wave.
  • と (to): Tornado.

Lesson 5: Hiragana N-Column

• Characters: な (na), に (ni), ぬ (nu), ね (ne), の (no).
• Mnemonic Tips:
  • な (na): Complicated nut.
  • に (ni): Looks like a knee.
  • ぬ (nu): Chopsticks with noodles.

Lesson 6: Hiragana H-Column

• Characters: は (ha), ば (ba), ぱ (pa), ひ (hi), び (bi), ぴ (pi), ふ (fu), ぶ (bu), ぷ (pu), へ (he), べ (be), ぺ (pe), ほ (ho), ぼ (bo), ぽ (po).
• は (ha) is also used as a topic marker pronounced as "wa".
• Mnemonic Tips:
  • ふ (fu): Looks like Mt. Fuji.
  • ほ (ho): Horse's face.

Lesson 7: Hiragana M-Column

• Characters: ま (ma), み (mi), む (mu), め (me), も (mo).
• Mnemonic Tips:
  • ま (ma): Man in a mask.
  • む (mu): Cow (moo).

Lesson 8: Hiragana R-Column

• Characters: ら (ra), り (ri), る (ru), れ (re), ろ (ro).
• Mnemonic Tips:
  • ら (ra): Rabbit.
  • れ (re): River.

Lesson 9: Hiragana Y-Column

• Characters: や (ya), ゆ (yu), よ (yo).
• Introduction to digraphs (combined sounds like きゃ, きゅ, きょ).
• Mnemonic Tips:
  • や (ya): Yak with horns.
  • ゆ (yu): Unicorn.
  • よ (yo): Yoyo.

Lesson 10: Hiragana W-Column

• Characters: わ (wa), を (wo), ん (n).
• を is the object marking particle often pronounced as "o".
• ん can vary in pronunciation depending on following syllables.

Conclusion

• Total: 46 Hiragana characters.
• Hiragana used for native Japanese words and particles.
• Dakuon and Handakuon marks and digraphs increase sounds.
• Practice with mnemonic devices for easier memorization.