ひらがな

• Reading: ひらがな
• Romaji: hiragana
• Kanji breakdown: 平 (hira/hei) — flat, ordinary; 仮 (ka/kari) — temporary, borrowed; 名 (na/mei) — name
• Pronunciation: /çi.ɾa.ɡa.na/

Meaning

Hiragana. The cursive Japanese syllabary used primarily for native Japanese words, grammatical particles, and verb endings.

A noun referring to one of Japan's three writing systems. Hiragana consists of 46 basic characters and is the first script Japanese children learn. It is used for native Japanese words, grammatical elements like particles and verb conjugations, and as furigana (reading aids) above kanji. Mastering hiragana is the essential first step for any Japanese learner.

Examples

1. まずひらがなを覚えましょう。 Let's start by learning hiragana.
2. 名前をひらがなで書いてください。 Please write your name in hiragana.
3. ひらがなは四十六文字あります。 There are forty-six hiragana characters.

Usage Guide

Context: language learning, writing, education

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Literally 'ordinary/smooth kana,' from 平 (hira, flat/ordinary) and 仮名 (kana, borrowed characters). Developed in the Heian period (794-1185) by simplifying the cursive forms of kanji, primarily by court women for personal correspondence.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal