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The Three Scripts

hiragana, katakana, kanji

Japanese uses three scripts together

hiragana, katakana and kanji each have a role.

📊 The three scripts
Script Used for Example
hiragana grammar, native words です
katakana loanwords, emphasis コーヒー (coffee)
kanji content words 日本 (Japan)
💬 Examples
ひらがな
hiragana
hiragana (the basic syllabary)
📝 Used for grammar and native words
カタカナ
katakana
katakana
📝 Used for foreign loanwords
Hiragana and katakana are syllabaries

Each symbol is one syllable (mora).

💬 Examples
あいうえお
a i u e o
a i u e o
📝 The five vowels
かきくけこ
ka ki ku ke ko
ka ki ku ke ko
📝 Consonant + vowel syllables
Kanji carry meaning

Chinese characters represent words or ideas; readings vary.

💬 Examples
日本
Nihon
Japan
📝 Two kanji meaning 'sun origin'
食べる
taberu
to eat
📝 Kanji 食 + hiragana ending