Learning Japanese includes three sections. In the first, we learn hieroglyphs that mean whole words. They are borrowed mainly from Chinese literacy, but slightly modified. This section is called Kanji. Then the Japanese alphabet is studied - hiragana and katakana. These two writing systems consist of syllables that give the Japanese language distinctiveness and uniqueness. Well, let us examine in order what the whole Japanese alphabet is, how to learn it and what it is based on.
Cana
This is a generic name for the Japanese writing and reading system, which covers both hiragana and katakana. A cana consists of graphic records - that is, hieroglyphs that have a certain sequence of writing lines and a certain appearance. For example, hiragana syllables have rounded shapes and steep endings. In Katakana, the hieroglyphs are more angular and accurate in spelling. Modern Japanese people rarely use Kana as an independent system of writing or sayings. As a rule, this native Japanese alphabet plays a supporting role when explanations are needed for some kanji characters, or other languages.
Kana Record
Unlike kanji, where hieroglyphs can be written in any way, the sequence of line drawing plays a very important role in native Japanese. How the hieroglyph will be written can help determine its author, establish, so to speak, the owner’s handwriting, and sometimes even affect its meaning. In addition, the alphabet of the Japanese language has such strict rules for writing hieroglyphs not only for the sake of unification. Adhering to them, you will be able to draw the sign you need as soon as possible, and neglect of the rules will delay the writing process.
Hiragana and its description
This type of writing is used to write down words that are not in kanji. This is necessary in cases where the writer does not know certain hieroglyphs or does not fully understand their meaning. In this writing system, one sign denotes one mora (i.e., a Japanese syllable). Therefore, to write a word, you need to use two or more characters. This Japanese alphabet can transmit three types of sounds. The first is any vowel; the second is the combination of consonant and vowel that follows it; the third is the nasal sonant. It is noteworthy that the last category of sounds in Japanese can sound very harsh (Russian “n”, “m”), and have a certain “French” accent.
Origin of writing
The Japanese alphabet of hiragana was born around the 5th century. Her ancestor is considered a manegan. This complex word refers to the writing system that was in use in Japan until the advent of hiragana. With its help, hieroglyphs were written, which sounded about the same as Chinese, but were written in a completely different way. In fairness, it is worth noting that later, when the manegan was transformed, the influence of the Chinese language on it became even greater. Hiragana was born by writing these ancient characters in the Tsaoshu style, which was inherent in Chinese calligraphy. Such a metamorphosis caused many written signs to change their forms beyond recognition. And to find a similarity between the ancient language and the modern writing system, perhaps only a professional can, for whom the Japanese language is native.
How to quickly learn hiragana
This Japanese alphabet, oddly enough, contains quite a few characters that are easy to remember. For this, there is a unique poem - Iroha, which translates as “flower song”. it was written in the 10th century, and since then the sound of many written signs has changed, as a result of which the rhyme has also disappeared. However, you can learn it, which will help to quickly remember the whole alphabet of hiragana. In pictures, the poem is given in the original, in Japanese, and next to it there is a transcription in Latin.
Description of Katakana
The system of this writing cannot exist autonomously, at least in modern Japanese. The Japanese alphabet of katakana is used to describe phenomena, objects or names that are of foreign origin, including Russian or European origin. Also, hieroglyphs of this group are often found in paintings, poems and prose. This is necessary in order to give the work a special, unique color. Also, very often katakana catches our eye in the correspondence of people, in their colloquial speech (mainly in the regions of Japan), in foreign posters and slogans.
Hieroglyphs and their pronunciation
Katakana, like the Japanese syllable alphabet, is fully consistent with all the canons of Kana. It contains exclusively vowel sounds and combinations of consonants, followed by open vowels. Very rarely there are nasal sonants, which are mostly mildly pronounced. There are few hieroglyphs in the alphabet: nine vowels, 36 open moors (syllables) and one nasal 'n, which is indicated by the sign . It is also important to note that in the katakana all the hieroglyphs have precise and strict outlines. Their lines are straight, the endings are clear, intersections are always performed in one place.
Learning katakana
Unfortunately, in this writing system, no one composed a simple poem that would help us learn all the hieroglyphs at once, using rhyme pleasant to hearing. Therefore, you can thoroughly learn katakana by studying the spoken language of the Japanese. Very often, to transfer any phenomena, names, names of animals and plants, and other borrowed words, hieroglyphics from this alphabet are used. However, it is worth remembering that, unlike hiragana, katakana does not combine with kanji and has, in principle, nothing to do with Chinese writing and pronunciation.
Conclusion
In Japanese, there are still a number of alphabets, many of which are already considered dead. Residents of the Land of the Rising Sun today use only three of them - this is kanji (based on Chinese), hiragana and katakana. It is important to note that there is another writing system that is used in Japan - this is romaji. It consists of Latin letters, but the spelling conveys the sound of hieroglyphs. This writing system was developed for more comfortable communication with residents of the Western world.