Mukashi Mukashi
Japanese basics · かな

Kana Dōjō

Recognize, hear, and remember the two syllabaries that open the door to written Japanese.

Writing system
Practice mode

Tap a character to hear it. The dot marks kana you have already practised.

A
K
S
T
N
H
M
Y
R
W
N · ん
かな · KANA

How the kana work

Hiragana for Japanese words

Hiragana is used for grammatical endings, particles, and many native Japanese words. Its flowing shapes make it the usual starting point for reading Japanese.

Katakana for borrowed words

Katakana represents the same sounds with more angular forms. It commonly appears in foreign loanwords, names, sound effects, and visual emphasis.

A short practice every day

Study one row at a time, say each sound aloud, and return to difficult cards. Recognition becomes stronger through brief, repeated encounters rather than one long session.

Progress stays in this browser. No account is required.

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