比較 · JLPT N5
Hiragana vs katakana
hiragana vs katakana
Hiragana writes Japanese words and grammar (particles, verb endings); katakana writes foreign loanwords, foreign names, sound effects and emphasis. Both spell the same sounds.
What hiragana and katakana are each for, how they differ, and where kanji fit in, with examples from real sentences.
Side by side
| Hiragana (ひらがな) | Katakana (カタカナ) | |
|---|---|---|
| Used for | Native words, particles, verb endings | Loanwords, foreign names, sound effects |
| Shape | Rounded: あいう | Angular: アイウ |
| Examples | ありがとう, たべる, の, は | コーヒー, テレビ, アメリカ |
| Long vowels | Written out: おかあさん | A dash: コーヒー |
| Learn first | Yes | Right after |
All three together
A normal sentence mixes all three: 「私はコーヒーを飲みます」. Kanji carry the meaning (私, 飲), hiragana the grammar (は, を, みます), and katakana the loanword (コーヒー).
Katakana also adds emphasis, like italics in English, and spells sound words: ドキドキ, ワンワン.
Side-by-side examples
Tap a kanji for its reading.
- すしsushiA Japanese word: hiragana (or kanji).
- パンbreadFrom Portuguese: katakana.
- ひとpersonHiragana, or the kanji 人.
- スミスさんMr SmithForeign name: katakana.
Quick check
- テレビ — hiragana or katakana?
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Katakana · A loanword from "television". - The particle を — which script?
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Hiragana · Grammar is written in hiragana. - How is the long vowel in コーヒー written?
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With ー · Katakana marks long vowels with a dash.