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Kyo Kana

あ · ア · one sound system

The kana chart, side by side.

Compare the two scripts sound for sound, learn the marks that transform the basic forms, and use the reading notes for the romanizations that commonly cause hesitation.

Practice both scripts

Basic gojūon

Same sounds, two sets of shapes

Hiragana appears first in each pair and katakana second. Learn one script in focused blocks, then mix them so the sound—not the chart position—becomes the shared connection.

  • a

    あhiraアkata

  • i

    いhiraイkata

  • u

    うhiraウkata

  • e

    えhiraエkata

  • o

    おhiraオkata

  • ka

    かhiraカkata

  • ki

    きhiraキkata

  • ku

    くhiraクkata

  • ke

    けhiraケkata

  • ko

    こhiraコkata

  • sa

    さhiraサkata

  • shi

    しhiraシkata

  • su

    すhiraスkata

  • se

    せhiraセkata

  • so

    そhiraソkata

  • ta

    たhiraタkata

  • chi

    ちhiraチkata

  • tsu

    つhiraツkata

  • te

    てhiraテkata

  • to

    とhiraトkata

  • na

    なhiraナkata

  • ni

    にhiraニkata

  • nu

    ぬhiraヌkata

  • ne

    ねhiraネkata

  • no

    のhiraノkata

  • ha

    はhiraハkata

  • hi

    ひhiraヒkata

  • fu

    ふhiraフkata

  • he

    へhiraヘkata

  • ho

    ほhiraホkata

  • ma

    まhiraマkata

  • mi

    みhiraミkata

  • mu

    むhiraムkata

  • me

    めhiraメkata

  • mo

    もhiraモkata

  • ya

    やhiraヤkata

  • yu

    ゆhiraユkata

  • yo

    よhiraヨkata

  • ra

    らhiraラkata

  • ri

    りhiraリkata

  • ru

    るhiraルkata

  • re

    れhiraレkata

  • ro

    ろhiraロkata

  • wa

    わhiraワkata

  • wo / o

    をhiraヲkata

  • n

    んhiraンkata

Beyond the basic 46

Four patterns unlock most of the expanded chart

These are systematic changes, so learn the rule and a few examples instead of treating every resulting kana as unrelated.

゛

Dakuten voices a consonant

か → が · さ → ざ · た → だ · は → ば

The two short marks change K to G, S to Z, T to D, and H to B sounds. A few readings are irregular: じ is ji and づ is usually zu.

゜

Handakuten makes the P row

は → ぱ · ひ → ぴ · ふ → ぷ · へ → ぺ · ほ → ぽ

The small circle applies to the H row and changes it to P sounds in both scripts.

ゃ

Small ya, yu, and yo contract

き + ゃ → きゃ · キ + ョ → キョ

Combine an i-column kana with a small ゃ・ゅ・ょ or ャ・ュ・ョ to make one contracted sound such as kya, shu, or cho.

っ

Small tsu doubles the next consonant

きて kite → きって kitte

The sokuon marks a brief pause before the next consonant. In katakana, the matching form is ッ.

Romaji notes

Common readings with more than one spelling

The primary labels below follow familiar Hepburn-style spellings. The quiz accepts useful alternatives rather than penalizing a valid romanization system.

KanaPrimaryUseful note
し / シshisi is also accepted in Kyo Kana.
ち / チchiti is an accepted alternate spelling.
つ / ツtsutu is an accepted alternate spelling.
ふ / フfuhu is an accepted alternate spelling.
を / ヲoOften taught as wo, but normally pronounced o.
ん / ンnKyo Kana also accepts nn and n'.

Put the chart away

See what you can recall.

Practice both scripts