Japanese characters form the basis for writing in the Japanese language. There are three basic scripts that are used together for writing words, grammar, names, and meanings. 

Once you understand how the writing system works, learning Japanese becomes much easier. The Japanese language has more than one script in regular writing, unlike English. Beginner learners start with Hiragana characters, then Katakana characters and finally develop knowledge about Kanji characters.

This guide provides information on 150+ Japanese characters along with their meaning, pronunciation, and usage. This guide also tells you how to write Japanese characters. Other questions, like the number of Japanese characters, are answered in this guide.

What Are Japanese Characters?

The Japanese language employs three primary scripts:

• Hiragana – Used mainly for Japanese words, grammatical forms, particles, and words that do not employ Kanji.
• Katakana – Used mainly for foreign words and scientific words.
• Kanji – Letters that originate from the Chinese writing system, representing ideas or meanings.

The Japanese language also makes use of Romaji – which represents the sounds of Japanese using the Latin alphabet. However, Romaji is not typically regarded as one of the three Japanese scripts. Surely, you can learn Japanese with the help of a Post Graduate Diploma in Japanese Language by Eduwatts.

Thinking About Learning Japanese?

Book Your FREE Demo Class

For example:

Japanese	Script	Meaning	Pronunciation
あ	Hiragana	a	a
ア	Katakana	a	a
日	Kanji	day/sun	hi / nichi
人	Kanji	person	hito / jin

A Japanese sentence can contain all three scripts:

私はコーヒーを飲みます。

Here, 私 and 飲 are Kanji, は and を and みます contain Hiragana, while コーヒー is Katakana.

How Many Japanese Characters Are There?

A specific number does not exist because thousands of Kanji symbols exist in addition to a smaller number of Hiragana and Katakana symbols.

The basic Hiragana alphabet has 46 letters, while the basic Katakana alphabet has 46 letters. These can form additional letters using Dakuten, Handakuten, and small letters.

Nevertheless, Kanji is expansive. The Japanese language uses thousands of Kanji symbols. However, it is not necessary to learn all of them for basic knowledge of Japanese.

The government of Japan has listed 2,136 Jōyō Kanji that people can use in their daily lives.

Thus, the answer to how many characters are in the Japanese language depends on which characters you consider. New learners can begin with the 46 basic Hiragana and 46 basic Katakana characters.

The Three Types of Japanese Characters

Japanese writers mix three scripts in a single sentence. Each has a different job.

Script	Characters	Used for	Example
Hiragana	46 basic	Grammar, native Japanese words	ありがとう
Katakana	46 basic	Foreign loanwords, names, emphasis	コーヒー
Kanji	2,136 daily-use	Core meaning of nouns, verbs, adjectives	日本

A fourth system, rōmaji (Japanese written in the Latin alphabet), appears on train signs and in textbooks, but it is not a native script.

Difference Between Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji

The easiest way to recall the distinction is:

1. Hiragana = grammar + native Japanese vocabulary
2. Katakana = foreign vocabulary
3. Kanji = meaning-based symbols

Sentences in Japanese normally contain all three.

For instance:

私は学生です。

Here:

• 私 = Kanji
• は = Hiragana
• 学生 = Kanji
• です = Hiragana

Another example is:

私はコーヒーを飲みます。

The word コーヒーuses Katakana because it is a loanword, while 飲is Kanji and the remaining grammatical elements use Hiragana.

If you wish to learn different types of characters in the Japanese Language, going for a Master’s (MS) in Japanese Courses will be the best choice.

Ready to Start Learning Japanese?

Start Learning Japanese Today

Hiragana Characters (ひらがな)

Hiragana is the first script learned by all students. The following hiragana syllabaries stand for sounds (syllables) and not meanings. Each hiragana syllabary stands for a sound, and therefore with knowledge of the syllabaries, any Japanese word can be pronounced.

Hiragana Characters Chart with Pronunciation

Hiragana	Pronunciation	Hiragana	Pronunciation
あ	a	か	ka
い	i	き	ki
う	u	く	ku
え	e	け	ke
お	o	こ	ko
さ	sa	た	ta
し	shi	ち	chi
す	su	つ	tsu
せ	se	て	te
そ	so	と	to
な	na	は	ha
に	ni	ひ	hi
ぬ	nu	ふ	fu
ね	ne	へ	he
の	no	ほ	ho
ま	ma	や	ya
み	mi	ゆ	yu
む	mu	よ	yo
め	me	ら	ra
も	mo	り	ri
わ	wa	る	ru
を	wo	れ	re
ん	n	ろ	ro

Hiragana Characters and Meanings

Individual hiragana characters have no meaning by themselves. These are phonetic characters, much like our alphabets. However, some have grammatical functions as well:

• は (wa): indicates the topic of a sentence.
• を (o): indicates the direct object of a sentence.
• の (no): indicates possession, similar to the English “‘s.”
• に (ni): means “to,” “at,” and “in.”
• か (ka): indicates a question.
• も (mo): means “also” or “too.”

Words written in hiragana are ありがとう (arigatō, thank you), おはよう (ohayō, good morning), and さくら (sakura, cherry blossom).

Hiragana Characters With Examples

Here are some useful Hiragana-based words for beginners:

Japanese	Pronunciation	English meaning
ねこ	neko	cat
いぬ	inu	dog
さかな	sakana	fish
やま	yama	mountain
かわ	kawa	river
みず	mizu	water
はな	hana	flower
そら	sora	sky
あめ	ame	rain
ひと	hito	person
すし	sushi	sushi
ここ	koko	here
そこ	soko	there
いえ	ie	house
なまえ	namae	name

These examples illustrate the reason why it is easy to learn characters in Japanese that have English meaning when studying the characters in words.

Katakana Characters (カタカナ)

Katakana letters contain exactly the same sounds as hiragana letters, yet their shape looks more pointed and angular. They are used in Japan for loaned words from other languages (テレビ, terebi), for foreign people’s names, for scientific terms and onomatopoeia.

Katakana Characters Chart with Pronunciation

Row	Characters and pronunciation
Vowels	ア (a) イ (i) ウ (u) エ (e) オ (o)
K	カ (ka) キ (ki) ク (ku) ケ (ke) コ (ko)
S	サ (sa) シ (shi) ス (su) セ (se) ソ (so)
T	タ (ta) チ (chi) ツ (tsu) テ (te) ト (to)
N	ナ (na) ニ (ni) ヌ (nu) ネ (ne) ノ (no)
H	ハ (ha) ヒ (hi) フ (fu) ヘ (he) ホ (ho)
M	マ (ma) ミ (mi) ム (mu) メ (me) モ (mo)
Y	ヤ (ya) ユ (yu) ヨ (yo)
R	ラ (ra) リ (ri) ル (ru) レ (re) ロ (ro)
W + N	ワ (wa) ヲ (wo) ン (n)

Katakana Characters and Meanings

Like Hiragana, individual letters of Katakana generally stand for sounds and not for meanings. Words taken from other languages often use Katakana.

Katakana	Pronunciation	Meaning
テレビ	terebi	television
コーヒー	kōhī	coffee
パン	pan	bread
バス	basu	bus
ホテル	hoteru	hotel
コンピューター	konpyūtā	computer
レストラン	resutoran	restaurant
アイス	aisu	ice cream
タクシー	takushī	taxi
スポーツ	supōtsu	sports

Katakana is also found in foreign names, product names, scientific terms, and some onomatopoeia.

Kanji Characters (漢字)

The Kanji are logographic characters originating from China and introduced into Japan in the 5th-6th centuries AD. Unlike Kana, each Kanji symbol has meaning and is pronounced in two ways:

1. On’yomi (音読み) – Chinese pronunciation, frequent in compounds;
2. Kun’yomi (訓読み) – Japanese pronunciation, frequent when the Kanji symbol is used alone.

This is why 日 can be pronounced both as nichi (in 日本 Nihon/Nippon… and 日曜日 nichiyōbi) or hi (“day”). Memorising Kanji characters this way greatly simplifies the learning process.

Kanji Characters List with English Meaning and Pronunciation

The kanji character list has 80 fundamental kanji for beginners categorised under topics. The readings are provided as on’yomi / kun’yomi.

Numbers

Kanji	Meaning	Reading
一	one	ichi / hito(tsu)
二	two	ni / futa(tsu)
三	three	san / mit(tsu)
四	four	shi / yon
五	five	go / itsu(tsu)
六	six	roku / mut(tsu)
七	seven	shichi / nana
八	eight	hachi / yat(tsu)
九	nine	kyū / kokono(tsu)
十	ten	jū / tō
百	hundred	hyaku
千	thousand	sen
万	ten thousand	man
円	yen / circle	en / maru(i)

Nature

Kanji	Meaning	Reading
日	sun, day	nichi / hi
月	moon, month	getsu / tsuki
火	fire	ka / hi
水	water	sui / mizu
木	tree, wood	moku / ki
金	gold, money	kin / kane
土	earth, soil	do / tsuchi
山	mountain	san / yama
川	river	sen / kawa
田	rice field	den / ta
天	heaven, sky	ten / ame
雨	rain	u / ame
空	sky, empty	kū / sora
花	flower	ka / hana
森	forest	shin / mori
海	sea	kai / umi

People

Kanji	Meaning	Reading
人	person	jin / hito
男	man	dan / otoko
女	woman	jo / onna
子	child	shi / ko
父	father	fu / chichi
母	mother	bo / haha
友	friend	yū / tomo
先	previous, ahead	sen / saki
生	life, birth	sei / i(kiru)
学	study	gaku / mana(bu)
名	name	mei / na

Body

Kanji	Meaning	Reading
目	eye	moku / me
耳	ear	ji / mimi
口	mouth	kō / kuchi
手	hand	shu / te
足	foot, leg	soku / ashi
心	heart, mind	shin / kokoro

Size and Direction

Kanji	Meaning	Reading
大	big	dai / ō(kii)
小	small	shō / chii(sai)
上	up, above	jō / ue
下	down, below	ka / shita
中	middle, inside	chū / naka
左	left	sa / hidari
右	right	u / migi
北	north	hoku / kita
南	south	nan / minami
東	east	tō / higashi
西	west	sei / nishi

Everyday Kanji

Kanji	Meaning	Reading
食	eat, food	shoku / ta(beru)
飲	drink	in / no(mu)
見	see	ken / mi(ru)
行	go	kō / i(ku)
来	come	rai / ku(ru)
出	exit	shutsu / de(ru)
入	enter	nyū / hai(ru)
本	book, origin	hon
車	car	sha / kuruma
電	electricity	den
語	language	go
話	talk	wa / hanashi
時	time	ji / toki
年	year	nen / toshi
国	country	koku / kuni
白	white	haku / shiro
赤	red	seki / aka
青	blue	sei / ao
黒	black	koku / kuro
愛	love	ai
力	power	ryoku / chikara

Japanese Characters and Meanings: Why Kanji Are Different

One of the frequent questions from beginners is why some characters have meaning while others don’t. The answer is very simple:

• Hiragana and Katakana = sounds. They function similarly to alphabets, although each character represents a full syllable.
• Kanji = meaning. Each character carries its own meaning, which is often combined with other meanings to form larger words.

For example, 日 (sun) + 本 (origin) = 日本 (Japan, literally “origin of the sun”) and 電 (electricity) + 車 (car) = 電車 (train).

After seeing the construction principles, even unknown kanji will seem logical to you because most of them consist of smaller components known as radicals.

The radical 氵 (water) can be found in characters such as 海 (sea), 河 (river) and 泳 (swim).

How to Write Japanese Characters?

Knowing how to correctly write characters in Japanese can help you remember and recognise them. Here are some basic rules to observe when doing so:

1. From top to bottom. Strokes begin at the top and flow down.
2. From left to right. If there are several strokes in a row, write the left one first.
3. Horizontal strokes before vertical. Horizontal strokes precede vertical strokes (ten is written horizontally first, and then vertically).
4. Center before wings. When writing a symmetrical kanji character like 小, the center part should be done first.
5. Outside before inside. First draw the frame and then the inside of an enclosed character like 国.
6. Note the ending. Strokes in Japanese have different endings, called tome, hane, or harai, and they do matter.

Practical advice:

• Use genkō yōshi paper for better proportions.
• Mouth the sounds when writing each character.
• Write each character 10-20 times and then try to reproduce it from memory.
• Use applications that show animated stroke order, or practice writing characters with your finger on your phone.

 

50+ Japanese Characters: Beginner Learning Plan

A practical learning sequence looks like this:

Learning stage	Target
Week 1	Basic Hiragana
Week 2	Remaining Hiragana + combinations
Week 3	Basic Katakana
Week 4	Katakana combinations
Week 5	20–30 basic Kanji
Week 6	30–50 additional Kanji
Week 7+	Vocabulary and sentence reading

Your exact learning speed will depend on your previous language-learning experience and daily practice time.

How to memorise characters in Japanese?

It makes it easy for you to learn more than 150 characters with a systematic process.

1. Start with Hiragana

Learn 46 basic Hiragana characters first.

2. Learn Katakana

Learn the equivalent Katakana characters once you feel comfortable learning Hiragana.

3. Learn Basic Kanji

Start by learning numbers, days, directions, people, places, and basic verbs.

4. Learn Words, Not Individual Characters

Do not simply learn 食 but learn words like:

食べる = to eat

5. Practice Writing

Learn to write the characters several times in the right stroke order.

6. Read Japanese

Read Japanese using stories for kids, books for beginners, labels, menus, and dialogues.

7. Review Frequently

It is easier to review on a daily basis than to try memorising many characters at once.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Avoiding hiragana and learning straight from rōmaji. Reading will be slow in the end.
• Learning Kanji without context. You should learn them in words, e.g., 学生 (student).
• Omitting stroke order. It influences readability, and stroke order is needed for dictionaries and handwriting input.
• Mistaking similar-looking characters. さ/き, ぬ/め, シ/ツ, ソ/ン, and 未/末.

Eduwatts – Best Institute for Learning Japanese

The ability to learn characters in Japanese will be easier because the combination of writing with speaking, listening, vocabulary, and culture is made possible. At Eduwatts, it is made possible for the learner to acquire more knowledge about the Japanese language with the help of the Japanese Language Courses(Level N5).

Regardless of whether one learns the Hiragana characters, Katakana characters, or the beginner Kanji characters, continuous learning and practice will make one feel confident. It will be possible for the learner to progress from the Japanese character level to Japanese sentences.

Key Feature	What You Learn
Japanese Language Learning	Build a strong foundation in Japanese language skills
Courses for Different Levels	Japanese language from beginner to advanced levels like JLPT N5 to N1.
Hiragana & Katakana	Learn how to read and write the basic Japanese alphabets
Kanji Learning	Knowledge of basic Kanji characters, their meanings, pronunciations, and uses
Japanese Speaking Practice	Develop confidence in everyday Japanese conversations
Grammar & Vocabulary	Learn essential grammar rules, words, and sentence structures
Practical Japanese	Practise useful expressions for real-life situations
Japanese Culture	Explore Japanese traditions, customs, etiquette, and cultural practices
Interactive Learning	Strengthen skills through activities, examples, and communication practice
Structured Learning	Progress from basic concepts to more advanced Japanese skills
Goal-Oriented Learning	Prepare for communication, travel, studies, work, or personal learning goals
JLPT & NAT Preparation	Prepare for Japanese language proficiency examinations with focused learning and practice.

Eduwatts Reviews

A few More Level wise Japanese Courses at Eduwatts

1. Japanese Language Course – N5 Level
2. Japanese Language Course- N4 Level
3. Japanese Language Course- N3 Level
4. Japanese Language Course- N2 Level
5. Japanese Language Course- N1 Level

Career Scope After Learning Japanese

Not only does knowing Japanese language provide possibilities of securing job opportunities in Japan, but also in India. The increasing number of Japanese companies working together with Indian companies makes those who know Japanese and possess some other skills also have plenty of options.

Career Option	What You Can Do
Japanese Translator	Translate documents, websites, business materials, and other content between Japanese and English/Indian languages.
Japanese Interpreter	Help Japanese and Indian professionals communicate during meetings, conferences, and business discussions.
Japanese Language Teacher	Teach Japanese to students, professionals, and JLPT aspirants.
Japanese Content Specialist	Create, edit, or localise content for Japanese-speaking audiences.
Japanese Customer Support	Assist Japanese-speaking customers and clients through email, chat, or phone.
Japanese IT Professional	Combine Japanese proficiency with skills such as software development, testing, IT support, or project management.
Japanese Business Executive	Support communication and coordination between Japanese and Indian companies.
Import & Export Professional	Work with companies involved in India–Japan trade and international business.
Hospitality & Tourism	Assist Japanese tourists and work with hotels, travel companies, and tourism businesses.
Japanese HR/Recruitment	Support recruitment, communication, and coordination for companies working with Japanese clients or employees.
Jobs in Japan	Japanese proficiency can support opportunities in Japan, depending on your qualifications, experience, visa requirements, and language level.

Japanese Language and Scope of Salary

The factors that will determine how much you earn include things like JLPT level, professional qualification, experience, industry, place of employment, and type of job. In general, it is easier to find a better career path by using Japanese with other skills such as IT, finance, management, engineering, health care, digital marketing, or teaching.

Which JLPT Level Helps Your Career?

• N5-N4: Basic understanding of everyday Japanese.
• N3: Helpful in gaining an intermediate level of conversation.
• N2: Often helpful for professional and workplace communication.
• N1: Advanced Japanese language proficiency.

To summarize, Japanese language can be an important skill in your career by using the knowledge you already have in any other profession or field. Students can acquire the skills in the Japanese language slowly and later find opportunities in fields such as translation, teaching, IT, business, customer service, tourism, and Indian-Japan business.

Talk to a Japanese Course Expert

Get FREE Course Guidance

Final Thoughts

Knowledge of the characters in Japanese is one of the most important keys to start reading and writing in the language. Learn the 46 basic characters of Hiragana, then study the 46 basic characters of Katakana and slowly increase your Kanji vocabulary.

Please remember that the role of Hiragana and Katakana is to show you sounds, while Kanji shows meaning. Learning the characters in context through words helps you better remember the Japanese language.

When you are in need of a Japanese characters list, Japanese characters chart, Japanese characters with pronunciation, or even Japanese characters and meanings, the only thing to do is practice regularly.

Start by learning a few characters daily, then practice writing, learn words and slowly transition from characters to sentences in Japanese.

Looking to expand your Japanese studies? At Eduwatts, we have a program that will ensure that you gain a solid base knowledge of the Japanese language through effective study, lesson plans, and practices. Contact Eduwatts and Check out the Japanese language program offered at Eduwatts to boost your Japanese language skills.

Recommended Reads

1. How to Learn a New Language Online: A Complete Guide
2. Best 10 Japanese Language Courses in Bangalore
3. Most Spoken Language in the World: Facts, Rankings & Native Speakers
4. Top Institute For Japanese Language Classes in Pune​ with Fees & Duration
5. Mastering the Japanese Language Course: A Comprehensive Guide
6. Learn Japanese course: A detailed Guide for Beginners

Frequently Asked Questions