1.2 Japanese Writing Systems
Completion requirements
1.2 Japanese Writing Systems
There are three different writing systems used in the Japanese language: Hiragana (γ²γγγͺ), Katakana (γ«γΏγ«γ) and Kanji (ζΌ’ε).
Do you notice the visual differences in the characters?
There is also a system used to write Japanese using the Roman Alphabet which is called Romaji. This was developed to help foreigners be able to read and understand Japanese.
We will be using Romaji in the beginning of the course until we have learned all the Hiragana characters. Romaji is the sounds of the Japanese characters written using the letters from the English alphabet.
Once we have learned all the Hiragana characters, we won't need to use Romaji anymore. At that point, the course will be written in Hiragana characters. You also need to know Romaji characters to type in Japanese font on your computer.
In Japanese 10, we will master Hiragana. In Japanese 20 and Japanese 30, we will incorporate the Katakana and Kanji.
Do you notice the visual differences in the characters?
There is also a system used to write Japanese using the Roman Alphabet which is called Romaji. This was developed to help foreigners be able to read and understand Japanese.
We will be using Romaji in the beginning of the course until we have learned all the Hiragana characters. Romaji is the sounds of the Japanese characters written using the letters from the English alphabet.
Once we have learned all the Hiragana characters, we won't need to use Romaji anymore. At that point, the course will be written in Hiragana characters. You also need to know Romaji characters to type in Japanese font on your computer.
In Japanese 10, we will master Hiragana. In Japanese 20 and Japanese 30, we will incorporate the Katakana and Kanji.
γγγγͺγγ
Hiragana characters are characters used for words that don't use Kanji
or Katakana. Hiragana characters represent a syllable of sound. Many of the lines in the characters look rounded or "curvy."
γ=sa γ=yo γ=u γͺ=na γ= ra
If you write this word out in Romaji, it's written as SAYOUNARA. You've probably heard this word before. "Goodbye!"
...
γ«γγ
Katakana words look like they're made from mostly straight lines. They
look more like "stick" characters. Like Hiragana, Katakana characters
represent a syllable of sound.
γ«=kaγγ=naγγ=da
If you write this word out in Romaji, it's written as KANADA. Most foreign country and city names are written in Katakana.
Katakana characters are also used to express words from different languages like "coffee" or "chocolate."
Katakana characters are also used to express words from different languages like "coffee" or "chocolate."
θ»
Kanji characters came from the Chinese writing system. Kanji
characters represent ideas and concrete meanings like nouns, verbs,
adjectives and adverbs.
Kanji characters range from very simple to extremely complicated in the amount of strokes used. This one symbol is read as "KURUMA" which means "car."
If you wrote "car" in Hiragana, it would take three Hiragana characters: γ(KU) γ(RU) γΎ(MA).
There are thousands of Kanji characters in the Japanese language, but people generally only need to know around two thousand characters for daily life in Japan.
Kanji characters range from very simple to extremely complicated in the amount of strokes used. This one symbol is read as "KURUMA" which means "car."
If you wrote "car" in Hiragana, it would take three Hiragana characters: γ(KU) γ(RU) γΎ(MA).
There are thousands of Kanji characters in the Japanese language, but people generally only need to know around two thousand characters for daily life in Japan.
The good thing is that the
sound
of all the characters on the Hiragana and Katakana charts are the same!
It's only the characters that are written differently (and used in different situations).
The character (and syllable sound) "HA" in Hiragana: γ―γ
The character (and syllable sound) "HA" in Katakana: γγ
It's only the characters that are written differently (and used in different situations).
The character (and syllable sound) "HA" in Hiragana: γ―γ
The character (and syllable sound) "HA" in Katakana: γγ
This course is divided into Units and Writing Sections.
For example, Unit 1 also has a Writing 1.
Make sure you work through the Writing 1 section at the same time that you work through Unit 1.
You will find Writing 1 located underneath Unit 1 in the Table of Contents.
Click here for a guide on how to find the Writing sections.
For example, Unit 1 also has a Writing 1.
Make sure you work through the Writing 1 section at the same time that you work through Unit 1.
You will find Writing 1 located underneath Unit 1 in the Table of Contents.
Click here for a guide on how to find the Writing sections.