akamonkai_online Did you know the Japanese language has not one, not two…
but three writing systems?
Yes, the Japanese language has three letter sets with different uses. You may be familiar with kanji, but you probably will not be learning that right away, as it is the most complicated writing system of the three. Your online Japanese language course will likely introduce you to Hiragana and katakana first. Kanji is usually taught later on.
How three writing systems affect your learning
Knowing this, the thought of studying the Japanese language may sound overwhelming, but it is much more very much achievable. Each writing system in the Japanese language is unique and fun to study.
Furthermore, the three systems are closely related. Understanding them will help you distinguish the different aspects of the Japanese language. In fact, they will make your learning much more organized, as you will fully understand the context and details of what you write.
Besides, all three systems are interesting in different ways, so your writing and reading lessons will be engaging. Let’s go over each of the Japanese character sets, so we can understand their similarities and differences.
Learning Hiragana in Your Online Japanese Language Course
Hiragana is one of the two main phonetic syllabaries of the Japanese language. If you’re new to learning Japanese, a fair question you might have is “which one of these character sets is the first syllabary that children learn in school?”
The answer is Hiragana, and it is what multilingual beginners start with as well. Being a phonetic syllabary, the characters represent sounds, and there are a total of 46 of them. These 46 characters are syllables, made from combinations of 5 vowels:
(a/e/u/i/o)
and the following 14 consonants
(n/b/d/m/p/w/g/z/k/t/r/y/h/s/t).
Things you will learn about Hiragana in your Online Japanese Language Course include, but are not limited to the following:
The Use and Structure of Hiragana:
Hiragana is the syllabary that is used for words that are original to the Japanese language. It covers some words that kanji doesn’t. Many of the Japanese phrases you might be familiar with are often written in hiragana. ”おはよう”(ohayou) is an one example of this. It means “good morning”.
One of the first things you will do in your online Japanese language course, if you’re starting from basics, is learn Hiragana. As mentioned earlier, this character set has a total of 46 characters. Hiragana will serve as the foundation for your grammar. Verb and adverb endings, particles, and much more are distinguished through this writing system. Hiragana will be the syllabary with which you most common greetings and phrases, such as:
“ありがとう”(arigatou) – which means “Thank you”,
“さようなら”(sayounara) – which means “Goodbye”,
and
“いただきます”(itadakimasu) – An expression of gratitude before a meal
Phonetic Representation of hiragana
The hiragana is made not of singular letters, but syllables. It is a phonetic syllabary. Every word written in hiragana is made from the 46 hiragana syllables, meaning you will be able to read very easily once you learn its characters. Hiragana is also very consistent. In some languages, the same letter/syllable can sound different depending on the grammatical context. This is not the case for hiragana, as its syllables sound the same in many uses. “う” is pronounced “oo”, as in “balloon”.
Although 46 characters may sound like a lot, hiragana is the simplest Japanese writing system, making it a great start for beginners. It is straightforward once you learn it and has a clear phonetic structure. Your online Japanese language course will include material and audio that will help you practice hiragana.
Techniques for Learning Hiragana in Your Online Japanese Language Course
Learning is not limited to reading and listening. It has to be engaging, as that way you can make better & faster progress while enjoying the learning process. Your online Japanese language course will help you improve through exercise, quizzes, and strong feedback.
Aside from those, you can also use flashcards in your own learning. On one side of the flashcard, write a word in hiragana. On the other side, write down the definition of that word. This is something you can use as a quick refresher whenever you need to. Another thing you can do is create a game where you challenge yourself, by trying to guess what’s on the other side of each flashcard. According to Frontiers in Psychology, writing by hand is one of the most effective ways to learn new concepts.
Try incorporating flashcards while you are studying the hiragana.
Hiragana – Cultural Insights
Hiragana can be tracked all the way back to the Heian period, which lasted from 794-1185 AD. This writing system was primarily used by women. Kanji existed in Japan back then, but it had not yet been established as the common writing system of the Japanese language. Having come from China just a few centuries ago, kanji script was considered a higher level of education. Unfortunately, not everybody could receive this education due to the social hierarchy at the time.
Katakana: The Letter for Foreign Words
Earlier, we said that the Japanese language has two main phonetic syllabaries. We already went over hiragana.
Now it is time to talk about katakana. Katakana is a very interesting and fun syllabary to study, and it is very functional as well. It is characterized by the distinct look of its characters, and the flexibility it brings to the Japanese language. It covers the same exact vowels and consonants as hiragana, and it also has exactly 46 characters.
However, the two syllabaries are used for very different purposes. They also look very different from each-other, and that brings us to the first quality of katakana that makes it stand out:
Unique Design
Katakana characters have a very sharp design and a jagged appearance. This makes them very distinguishable from the cursive and rounded hiragana characters. The strong contrast between the two syllabaries makes it very easy to tell them apart from each-other.
The character that represents the sound “o” in hiragana is “お”. In katakana, it is “オ”. As you can see in this example, the vowel looks similar in both forms, but hiragana looks more “flowy”, while katakana is bold and linear. You might be wondering, “So what is the difference, whether I use katakana or hiragana? Do I need to learn both?”
You do, because they are used for different words. As we said earlier, hiragana is used for grammatical functions, and words that are native to the Japanese language.
How Katakana is Used Today
Katakana is mainly used for words that are not Japanese in origin. It is relatively common for languages to borrow words from each-other. The Japanese language integrates foreign words through the katakana writing system.
As an example, in the Japanese language, the word “ice cream” is borrowed from English. It is pronounced aisukurīmu, and since it is a word with foreign roots, it is written in katakana as “アイスクリーム”. Katakana works as the channel through which the Japanese language adapts foreign terms. This also applies to Japanese slang words that are borrowed from other languages. A commonly used one is “サボる”(pronounced saboru), which means procrastinate. It originates from “sabotage”, a word of French origin.
Onomatopoeia in the Japanese language are commonly written in the katakana as well. An example is “キラ キラ”(kira-kira) which means “shiny”. It is most commonly used when in awe of a bright and glossy object. Another example of Japanese onomatopoeia is “ドカン”(dokan), which represents the “Boom!” sound effect.
As you can see, Katakana is an integral writing system for the Japanese vocabulary. It is used for a variety of functions, and gives the Japanese language a lot of its nuance.
Cultural Impact
Katakana has a lot of cultural significance. It is the writing system that allows Japan to adapt words from other languages, and blend foreign influences into everyday use. What’s more, it does so while going hand-in-hand with hiragana. Yet, the katakana is able to distinguish itself from the purely Japanese characters, preserving the native aspects of the language. In your Japanese language course, you will find that a lot of the words you recognize are written in katakana, such as コーヒー(kōhī), which is the word for coffee.
In the Heian period, katakana was primarily used by men. It was developed by Buddhist monks with the goal of simplifying kanji. For more context, Glossika dives deeper into the history and origin of katakana and hiragana.
Kanji: The Pictographic Characters
Kanji is the first writing system that was introduced to Japan, and it is built on Chinese characters. In kanji, concepts and ideas are expressed through symbols and sounds. It is a logographic writing system, unlike hiragana and katakana, which are phonetic. It is also important to note that both hiragana and katakana are simplified versions of kanji!
Without further ado, let’s go over interesting details about this writing system:
Complexity and Variety:
In your online Japanese language course, you will start with the simpler kanji characters, then branch off into more complex ones. One of the first symbols you will get familiar with is “日” (nichi) which means “day” or “sun”. Another one is “本” (hon) the symbol that represents the words “book” or “origin.” These kanji symbols are used in day-to-day conversations. Over time, you will slowly build upon the variety and complexity of the kanji symbols you use.
Radicals and Components
Kanji is built on radicals, which are the roots that make up each symbol. Historically, there are 214 radicals used in different combinations to create a message through their various meanings and imagery. This makes it possible to understand each character by recognizing the patterns of their radicals.
A simple example is “氵” (sanzui) the radical that symbolizes water. This radical is present in kanji characters related to water, like “海” (umi) meaning “sea” and “河” (kawa) which stands for “river.” Learning radicals allows us to understand Kanji characters by drawing connections between patterns.
Going down the next layer of complexity, most kanji characters have at least two readings. “On’yomi” is Chinese reading and “kun’yomi” is the term for Japanese reading. In your online Japanese language course, you will learn how to read these characters in sentences.
For example, the Kanji “山” can be read as “san” (Chinese reading) in words like “富士山” (Fujisan) meaning “Mount Fuji”. The same character is read as “yama” (Japanese reading) in words like “山” (yama) which means “mountain.”
It is important to distinguish the Japanese and Chinese readings of kanji characters, and you will know when to use which, with practice and experience!
Cultural Significance
Kanji was introduced to Japan by Chinese immigrants in the 5th century. This would be Japan’s first writing system, and it would eventually lead to the development of hiragana and katakana.
Kanji is the center of Japanese calligraphy, considered the “supreme” art form for centuries in Japan & East Asia. Natively known as shodō, translated to “the way of writing”, calligraphy has always been a staple in Japanese art and culture,. It was all about the artistic writing of kanji characters, with every stroke of the pen being careful and meticulous.
Kanji is also a gold mine of historical Japanese scriptures, as there are over 50,000 characters that can be recognized in ancient writing. Today, there are 2126 confirmed characters for day-to-day use.
Conclusion
If you made it to the end of this article, congratulations! You now have an understanding of hiragana, katakana and kanji.
Each of the three writing systems in the Japanese language serves a different purpose. Knowing their significance in communication, as well as the different roles they play will make the process of learning Japanese much easier. When your online Japanese language course introduces you to reading and writing, you can go into it with confidence, as you now have the background knowledge you need to get started.
If you’re searching for an online Japanese language course, look no further; Akamonkai Online Japanese Language School is the right place for you!