.

24

Japanese Writing System

There are three kinds of characters

1

in Japanese: hiragana, katakana, and kanji . All three

characters can be seen in a single sentence.

t~ U hi £ JL i ~f 0 I watch television.

katakana kanji hiragana

Hiragana and katakana, like the alphabet, represent sounds. As you can see in the above ex-
ample, hiragana has a roundish shape and is used for conjugation endings, function words,
and native Japanese words not covered by kanji. Katakana, which has rather straight lines, is

normally used for writing loanwords and foreign names. For example, the Japanese word for
“television” is written in katakana as f kb ( terebi ). Kanji, or Chinese characters, represent
not just sounds but also meanings. Mostly, kanji are used for nouns and the stems of verbs
and adjectives.

(T)H i r a g a n a

1 . Basic Hiragana Syllables

There are forty-six basic hiragana syllables, which are listed below. Once you memorize this

chart, you will have the skill to transcribe all of the Japanese sounds.

h 1 X
a i u e 0

* < It
ka ki ku ke ko

* s— L i- *
sa *shi su se so

tz % o r E
ta *chi *tsu te to

\z & n <D
na ni nu ne no

li U O' 11
ha hi fu he ho

(Roman
i

There is another writing system called romaji letters) which is used for station names, signs, and so on.
 Japanese Writing System 25

* The syllables L £>, and are

,

romanized as shi chi , , tsu , and/w, re-

spectively, to closely resemble English

L pronunciation.
n * *
£ is also pronounced as “wo.”

The romanization is given for general pronunciation reference.

2. Hiragana with Diacritical Marks

You can transcribe 23 additional sounds by adding diacritic marks. With a pair of short

diagonal strokes (
" ), the unvoiced consonants k, s, t, and h become voiced consonants g , z,

(
d, and b, respectively. The consonant h changes to p with the addition of a small circle ° ).

7^' <" If
8a gi gu ge go

V t -r ?
za ji zu ze zo

tz
da
%ji zu
*o T de do

> ''

If If O' •< If
ba bi bu be bo

* o
If
\

O'
O
K If
£> (ji)

same
and
as U (ji)
( zu ) are pronounced the
and
-

"f (zu), respec-

pa Pi pu pe po
tively, and have limited use.

3. Transcribing Contracted Sounds

Small and J; follow after letters in the second column (z- vowel hiragana except t
')

and are used to transcribe contracted sounds. The contracted sound represents a single syl-
lable.
26

* * * rp Z X H'yp *X
kya kyu kyo m gy» gy°

Lv
sha
L
shu
Yp L Jt IT* C Yp i: J:
sho ja ju jo

t) yp % X
cha chu cho

1- * IC rp IC Jt
nya nyu nyo
U K* tfx
U? th tp ux bya byu byo

hya hyu hyo

V* U° YP U° X
A Yp ^ ct
pya pyu pyo

mya myu myo

U * l
) YP ‘
) X
rya ryu ryo

4. Transcribing Double Consonants

There is another small letter, which is used when transcribing double consonants such as
tt and pp.

Examples: tz katta (won) cf. ti'tz kata (shoulder)

sakka (writer)

(1 0 11° happa (leaf)

*5 o L zasshi (magazine)

Note double consonant ns as in sannen (three years) are written with L + a hiragana with
an initial n sound (tc, 1C, <&, fa, and <7)).

Examples: * ^ fa L sannen (three years)

*>L+£\' armai (guide)

5. Other Issues Relating to Transcription and Pronunciation

A. Long Vowels
When the same vowel is placed one right after the other, the pronunciation of the vowel
becomes about twice as long as the single vowel. Be sure to hold the sound long enough,
because the length of the vowel can change one word to another.
 —

28

a
Examples: & •$
sa
(morning)

ma e
tt'i i na
(name)

ka
(high)
ta i

(i)K a t a k a n a

T 7 JL *
a i u e 0

tj Y 7 Y 0
ka ki ku ke ko

Y V
sa
X
su
-fe 7
*shi se SO

7
ta
Y
*chi
V
*tsu te
7~ h
to

i~ .
X /
na ni nu ne no

/ \ t 7 *
ha hi fu he ho

-7
ma
A
mu
/
me
Y
mi mo

ya
Y yu
ZL 3
yo

7 'J )l V a
ra ri ru re ro

7 7
wa 0
* The syllables '7 and ~7 are
-f-, ,

romanized as shi chi, tsu, and /«, re-

y spectively, to closely
,

resemble English
n
pronunciation.

if Y 7"
Y 3"
ga gi gu ge go

Y za
V
> ''

X
zu
Y V"
P ze zo
 )

Japanese Writing System 29

—
7
V*

7“ F
da P zu de do

/ \
ba bi
t: X
bu be
X
bo

^
X and "/ ( zu
* are pronounced the
*
o (ji)

t° "S.
same as V (ji) and X ( zu ), respec-
pa P* pu pe po
tively, and have limited use.

kya
*=L
kyu kyo
3 X 3. X3
X
''

> >
^

3. 3 rz.

sha shu sho ja ju j°

cha chu
XL X3 cho

—+ — XL —3
nya nyu nyo
tf 3- if 3
bya byu byo
t -V t 3. t 3
hya hyu hyo
t° 3. k° 3
pya pyu pyo
- dr ^ XL i 3
mya myu myo

') a. ') 3
rya ryu ryo

The pronunciation of katakana and its combinations are the same as those of hiragana ex- ,

cept for the following points.

(1) The long vowels are written with — .

Examples: 7— kaa (car) keeki (cake)

X *— sukii (ski) booru (ball)

x— y suutsu (suit)

When you write vertically, the — mark needs to be written vertically also.

Example: *
 ' '' ' . . I I . '

40>>>£i£'3££St

Vocabulary Tc hu cZr K01-05

h<r> ano um . .

ima now
X. V ' w eego English (language)

L X. ee yes

< -t+v gakusee student

. . .go . . . language ex. I C ( L 3'

( nihongo ) Japanese language

z l Z i kookoo high school
z z gogo P.M.

r'-tfx gozen A.M.

. . . sai . .
.
years old

~$L . . . san Mr./Ms. . .

~c . .
.
ji o’clock

ex. v ' % U ( ichiji ) one o’clock

~c^ . .
.
jin . .
.
people ex. I - ( LUL
(nihonjin) Japanese people

-tir/C 3 ^ senkoo major

H± V sensee teacher; Professor . .

* 9 T-f soo desu That’s right.

9 Ti* soo desu ka I see.; Is that so?

< daigaku college; university

X Lb denwa telephone

tomodachi friend

Li L namae name
LL/LL nan/nani what
izliL Nihon Japan
. . . nensee . .
.
year student ex. v ' £> faX -tfv
( ichinensee ) first-year student

liv hai yes

han half ex. IZ C (i/C (niji han) half

past two

liXZ'9 bangoo number

‘j H> 9 -ttv ryuugakusee international student

btz l watashi I

* Words that appear in the dialogue

 1 ' '

ADDITIONAL VOCABULARY K01-06

Countries
r& / tb
'j
ij
fi
i)'
Amerika U.S.A.

T ¥') x Igirisu Britain

V' S* ij
t
*-X
« b -r
h -7
t e>
'J
i)
T* Oosutoraria Australia

tf'/CZ < Kankoku Korea

x x.—T'y Suweeden Sweden
f 9 k. x. "C A,

^i:'< Chuugoku China

Majors
kagaku science

TS'TIt/C* rj» -7 ajia kenkyuu Asian studies

i> u h
l+v ' keezai economics
3 < * 'tJ'/CI+v ' kokusaikankee international relations

3y£ konpyuutaa computer

Z. k> Xf *P *? tz $>

L/C£v>^< jinruigaku anthropology

seeji politics

fcf
rtf
Cr
vU T X
l* 4^ -4-
9
bijinesu business

.S/U«< bungaku literature

L rekishi history

ccupation s

L 3"L shigoto job; work; occupation

\ ' L K 1
isha doctor

kaishain office worker

3 *5 3 kookoosee high school student

L n> .)> shufu housewife

/c'v 'J* < v,

'X,-th daigakuinsee graduate student

7c' V < -|+\. daigakusee college student

^3"l bengoshi lawyer

a m y i 1

*5^'* -25 okaasan mother

&L 9 ^ otoosan father

fc fc X. is L oneesan older sister

1- ^ '
J X/ oniisan older brother

V ' 9 £ imooto younger sister

fcL 9 £ otooto younger brother

48>ȣI5-3$S1

H/uUK&O Practice
(Numbers)
0 KOI -07

-t? Z>

0 -if o/'jf'U '

zero ree

1 v'£> 11 C Q 9 \ 30 * ft n
ichi juuichi sanjuu

2 IC 12 40
ni juuni yonjuu

3 13 50 r c •* ?
san juusan gojuu

4 XL/l/U)
yon shi (yo)
14 U H> -9 Jt
juuyon
L/ U
juushi
Hi 9 l 60
rokujuu

5 3 15 Ut:' 70 +£+££ * 9
nanajuu
go juugo

6 < 16 i:n>9^< 80 li£> U 5

roku juuroku hachijuu

7 +£+£/ L %
nana shichi
17 i: n>
juunana
i+ct'/Ctp
juushichi
iu 90 $ U>
kyuujuu
9 U H> 9

8 18 C H> 9 l±% 100 U- ^ {

hachi
时间 juuhachi hyaku

9 19 Un>9^H>9// Cn>9 <

kyuu ku juukyuu juuku

10 U n> 5 20
juu nijuu

A. Read the following numbers. 0 koi-os

(a) 5 (b) 9 (c) 7 (d) 1 (e) 10

(0 8 (g) 2 (h) 6 (i) 4 (j) 3

B. Read the following numbers. 0koi-o9

(a) 45 (b) 83 (c) 19 (d) 76 (e) 52

(f)100 (g) 38 (h) 61 (0 24 (j)97

C. What are the answers? 0koi-io

(a) 5 +3 (b) 9+ 1 (c) 3 + 4 (d)6~6 (e) 10 + 9 (f)8-7 (g)40-25

 ^ 49

©UfcVu (Time) _
0KO1-11

A. Look at the following pictures and answer the questions. 0 <01-12

Example: Q : v ' i h L Ti" ^'o

Ima nanji desu ka.

A : ITIiyCT-fo
Ichiji han desu.
 fg1SI>»>57
Useful Expressions

Time / Age
Time
Hours Minutes

1 C 1 11 U d> 1 \ N o T° kj
ichiji ippun juuippun

9 2 12 U d> ^ 1

Z juunifun
nifun

*LXL
niji

3 */L3° /C 13 U d> i
3 * c i: sanpun juusanpun
sanji
4 £LXL 14 C d) iXLXL
yonpun juuyonpun
4 J; l
yoji 5 rru 15 i: d) 9 C\T/C
gofun juugofun
5 re 6 o 16 U
go)'
roppun juu roppun

6 ^ < e 7 17 e ti) 5
rokuji nanafun juunanafun

7 L t) C 8 llo *3° kj/ 18 C 5 lio3?/C/

shichiji
happun juuhappun
(1 kj U 5 li^.S'C
8 li £> U hachifun juuhachifun
hachiji
9 * $ n 19 e n> 5 * n> i
u kyuufun juukyuufun
9 <
kuji 10 L d> o *1° L>/ 20 1- L d> o kj/
10 UlC
jliuji
juppun nijuppun

j
ippun nijippun
11 e tp
juuichiji
3 30 “5 ky C d> o T° L/
sanjuppun

12 e n> 3 ic e
juuniji sanjippun

Age /fcv' < otfii', (How old are you?)

Nansai desu ka. Oikutsu desu ka.

The counter suffix ~$ v (• . . sai) is used to indicate .

.
years old.”

i v ' or v 5 ri t 9 $ rp 9 -J t
issai gosai kyuusai

2 iz * V ' 6 ^ 10
nisai rokusai jussai jissai

3 7 11
sansai nanasai juuissai

4 8 li o * V ' 20 li fz t>*
yonsai hassai hatachi

*For 20 years old, li 7c %{hatachi ) is usually used, although icLtfo'SWUCoSv' ( nijussai/nijissai ) can be used.
 ' .. .

60 »>s!£-:£>SH

Tc hj C
Vocabulary < 02-05

Words That Point

* ZiX kore this one
* -Ztl sore that one
* #>>ft are that one (over there)
* dore which one
Z<D kono this . .

* :<D sono that . .

* 1h<r> ano that . .

.
(over there)

YKn dono which . .

z z koko here

soko there
*£>-? 3 asoko over there
* K'Z doko where
* tziX dare who

Food /V
/ >

* ' L v oishii delicious

* i N
sakana fish

* £ CtJ'O tonkatsu pork cutlet

* |w < niku meat

* /
to
—U — a.
*P n
menyuu menu
yasai vegetable

Things
enpitsu pencil

f)
s "5 kasa umbrella
tf'l iX kaban bag
< O kutsu shoes
* "5 \ '.3' saifu wallet

v-yXT
U i' A,
jiinzu jeans

U L jt jisho dictionary

CTAX* jitensha bicycle

L- *3' A> shinbun newspaper

T >
fi'i'L
+• 'V
* o
tiishatsu T-shirt

* Elfv* tokee watch; clock

* Words that appear in the dialogue

 , . .

/-a h t
nooto notebook
<y
<r>

pen pen
^ A,

II'-? L booshi hat; cap

ll/C hon book

Places
kissaten cafe

ginkoo bank
* MU
i; i'
to ire toilet; restroom

£ l J: tf'/C toshokan library

^ •? I/I? J: < yuubinkyoku post office

Countries
r& / *>
v
v
-h Amerika U.S.A.

I^'JX 5
Igirisu Britain
tu -r
y
r ^s.
Kankoku Korea
Chuugoku China

Majors
Itv 'J'v, ' keezai economics
zi > t° i — 9
— konpyuutaa computer
Z. h> If vp 7 tz $r>

\£ i/ ?- X bijinesu business
U to t
H* L rekishi history

Family
okaasan mother
otoosan father

Money Matters
* V ' < h ikura how much
* ~ 1L L . . . en . .
.
yen
* fz ' takai expensive; high

Expressions
* *.
' b -o L v ' i -tf irasshaimase Welcome (to our store).

( . . . o) onegaishimasu . .
.
please.

* (~ £ ) (, tz*\ s
( . . . o) kudasai Please give me . .

* C K’ & jaa then . .

; if that is the case,

* £" ? •?’ doozo Please.; Here it is.

* £'-? & doomo Thank you.

 *

fl/uUtfO P r a c t i c e

IJ1T5L/ (Numbers)
Lil K02-06

100 U < 1,000 10,000 v ' A£L

hyaku sen ichiman

200 KtA* < 2,000 1 c-tiX 20,000 1 ztL

nihyaku nisen niman

300 * /C £/> < 3,000 30,000

sanbyaku sanzen sanman

400 ILU"? < 4,000 Jt /C4+/C 40,000 Jt

yonhyaku yonsen yonman
500 < 5,000 50,000
gohyaku gosen goman
600 6,000 h < -tt/i 60,000 *> <
roppyaku rokusen rokuman

700 ft U ( 7,000 trtxx 70,000 X,

nanahyaku nanasen nanaman

800 < 8,000 li o -tt Kj 80,000 li^iX,

happyaku hassen hachiman

900 £ d> 1 U? < 9,000 * rp 1 -tt ^ 90,000

kyuuhyaku kyuusen kyuuman

A. Read the following numbers. @ko2-o7

(a) 34 (b) 67 (c) 83 (d) 99 (e) 125

(f) 515 (g) 603 (h) 850 (i) 1,300 (j) 3,400

(k) 8,900 (1)35,000 (m) 64,500 (n) 92,340

B. Look at the pictures and answer how much the things are. @ko2-o8
x
^ > li
a.

Example: Q : v ' < b T~f Ex. >

Pen wa ikura desu ka.

A : li A U ^ i x./CT"-to
Hachijuu en desu.

¥80