Hiragana flashcards

Here is a plain set:

Katakana flashcards

Katakana Chart

Hiragana Chart

Handwriting

Here we have reproduced five of the same hiragana syllabary sets. Each time we chose a different font, so as to show you what different styles of handwriting look like. 

The first two are clearly designed for children. They are straightforward and do not have too many added flicks. Closely compare the yellow kana boxes and you can see the differences.

The next one is similar, but showing a different style. It is more compact and ‘so’ and ‘fu’ are in the most original form with separate dots, yet ‘ki’ is still joined.

The next one is already showing more curves and more flicks. It is more adult-like and more stylish (a matter of taste).

The last one clearly is a style of writing that an adult would aspire to. The added flicks make the handwriting more flowing and also show that older people tend to not lift their pen or brush as they keep writing by linking every word. It is obviously not a problem, if you are an experienced reader, but children find it stressful having to “read grandma’s handwriting”. 

We suspect that is the case in all languages and types of writing. Of course, here we have shown only hiragana, but if one adds kanji to it, it becomes really difficult to read for youngsters.

The most advanced forms of handwriting styles are called calligraphy. It is very difficult and one has to train for that. It has become an art form all of its own.

Hiragana Katakana

If you are looking for the page where you can find factual information about the origin of hiragana and katakana as it is derived from kanji, then you need to follow this link:

http://www.lamijapan.com/2011/11/origin-of-kana-in-chinese-kanji.html

If you just want an easy way to remember them (without kanji) then just read on.  Good luck!

Here are two sets of syllabaries overwritten to show an easy link to help you remember the shape of the katakana.

a　あ　ア

i　い　イ

u　う　ウ

e　え　エ

o　お　オ

ka　か　カ

ki 　き　キ

ku　く　ク 

ke　け　ケ 

ko　こ　コ 

 sa　さ　サ

 shi　し　シ

su　す　ス 

se　せ　セ

 

so　そ　ソ

ta　た　タ 

 chi　ち　チ

tsu　つ　ツ 

 te　て　テ

 to　と　ト

na　な　ナ 

 ni　に　ニ

nu　ぬ　ヌ 

ne　ね　ネ 

no　の　ノ 

ha　は　ハ 

hi　ひ　ヒ 

fu　ふ　フ

he　へ　ヘ 

ho　ほ　ホ 

ma　ま　マ 

 mi　み　ミ

mu　む　ム 

me　め　メ

mo　も　モ

ya　や　ヤ 

yu　ゆ　ユ 

yo　よ　ヨ

ra　ら　ラ 

ri　り　リ 

ru　る　ル 

re　れ　レ 

ro　ろ　ロ 

wa　わ　ワ 

 v　う　ヴ

n　ん　ン

Katakana Practice

Learning the katakana script

You may enlarge this chart and print it off for your usage. 
First you should click on the image and enlarge it:

We have also added flash cards that you may print off. 
You should first click on the image to enlarge them:

Here are all the katakana symbols 
with the correct stroke order:

a　あ  

 i　い

 u　う

 e　え

 o　お

ka 　か

 ki　き

 ku　く

 ke　け

 ko　こ

 sa　さ

shi　し 

 su　す

 se　せ

 so　そ

 ta　た

 chi　ち

 tsu　つ

 te　て

 to　と

 na　な

 ni　に

 nu　ぬ

 ne　ね

 no　の

 ha　は

hi　ひ

 fu　ふ

 he　へ

 ho　ほ

ma　ま 

mi　み 

mu　む 

 me　め

 mo　も

ya　や 

yu　ゆ 

yo　よ 

ra　ら 

ri　り 

 ru　る

re　れ 

 ro　ろ

wa　わ 

 v　ヴ

n　ん 

Hiragana and Katakana Charts

Here are two more charts 

with a slightly different layout style.

Hiragana

Katakana

Hiragana Practice ひらがなの れんしゅう

Here is an easy-to-use hiragana chart. 

You may print it off and use it for your practice. 

First click on the image to enlarge it.

Here are your hiragana flash cards. Click on the images and enlarge them before you print them off. (Notice that を has been left off. This makes sense, if you want to get 45 kana on three cards. Also を is not used in a word; only as the direct object marker in a sentence).

Here are all the hiragana symbols 

with the correct stroke order:

And now the repeated hiragana with dots and circle:

GA

GI

GU

GE

GO

ZA

JI-ZI

ZU

ZE

ZO

DA

JI-DI

ZU-DU

DE

DO

BA

BI

BU

BE

BO

PA

PI

PU

PE

PO

Different hiragana font styles