my family essay in japanese hiragana

Howdy Information

My family ~Let’s introduce your family in japanese!~

Talk about your family in japanese with your friends, tell about your mother and father.

・Oka-san (Mother) Introduce to superior… Haha

・Oto-san (Father) Introduce to superior… Chichi

・Ryo-shin (Parents)

Practice；What does your father do (work)?

Tell about your brother and sister

・おにいさん　Oni-san (older brother) Introduce to superior… Ani

・おねえさん　One-san (older sister) Introduce to superior… Ane

・弟（おとうと）　Otouto (younger brother)

・妹（いもうと）　Imouto (younger sister)

when you talk about your friends or someone’s brother and sister, we say “Otouto san”, “Imouto san”.

older brother and younger brother…Kyoudai older sister and younger sister…Shimai

Practice: Do you have bother or sister? If you have, talk about it.

Tell about grand father and grand mother

・おじいさん　Ojii san (Grand father) Introduce to superior… Sofu

・おばあさん　Obaa san (Grand mother) Introduce to superior… Sobo

・ひいおばあさん Hii Obaa san (Great-grand mother)

・ひいおじいさん Hii Ojii san (Great-grand father)

Practice: Tell your grand mother and grand father’s memory.

If you married…

How to call your partner after marrige. ・Otto (husband) ・Tsuma (wife) husband and wife… Fuufu

When you talk about your friends or someone’s husband and wife, we say Goshujin and Okusan. Also, someone’s children call Okosan.

How to call your child

Practice: Which one do you want, boy or girl in the future? Also, what do you plan to name your child?

Tell about your pet

Pet… pet (same as English) To introduce your pet…

○○ wo katte imasu.(I have…) ex) Inu wo katte imasu. (I have a dog.)

Practice: Do you have a pet? What kind of pet do you have?

Let’s introduce your family!

・わたしの家族は、○人です。（Watashi no kazoku wa ○nin desu.） 例）わたしの家族は4人です。（ex) Watashi no kazoku wa yonin desu.）

・○○と○○と○○がいます。（○○to ○○to ○○ga imasu.） 例）母と父と兄とわたしです。（ex) Haha to Chichi to Ani to Watashi desu. ） 母と父と兄がいます。（ Haha to Chichi to Ani ga imasu.）

Ask to your friend

Let’s ask to your friend about family.

・家族は何人いますか？・Kazoku wa nannin imasuka? (How many people do you have in your family?)

・誰がいますか？・Dare ga imasuka? (Who is in there?)

・おいくつですか？・Oikutsu desuka? (How old are they?)

・どこに住んでいますか？・Doko ni sunde imasuka? (Where do they live?)

・お仕事は？・Oshigoto wa? (What is their job?)

Let’s plactice conversation！

A：家族は何人いますか？ B：わたしの家族は６人です。 祖母と母と父と妹です。 それからペットの猫を飼っています。 A：妹さんはおいくつですか？ B：２４さいです。 A：お仕事は？ B：学校の先生をしています。

大切な家族を日本語で紹介できるように練習してみましょう！

A: Kazoku wa nannin imasuka? B: Watashi no kazoku wa rokunin desu. Sobo to haha to chichi to imouto desu. Sorekara pet no neko wo katte imasu. A: Imouto san wa oikutsu desuka? B: Nijyu-yonsai desu. A: Oshigoto wa? B: Gakko no sensei wo shiteimasu.

Let’s paractice and introduce your fabulous family in Japanese!

【Vegetables】What is your favorite food?~Let’s study food names in Japanese.~

【Fruits】 What is your favorite food? -Let’s study food names in Japanese!

You are familiar with Japan⁉ Do you know about Japanese typical food？

Which side are you on? For breakfast,bread or rice? ～various conversation～

What is your hobby? Let’s become able to listen and answer about hobby in Japanese！

Talk About Family in Japanese: Father-in-Law and More!

Learning a foreign language isn’t only about the language itself, but also about its culture, customs, and society. Family is the minimum unit of a social group, and it’s important to understand its characteristics as this is closely related to culture and customs.

When you learn how to explain your family in Japanese, it helps to expand your vocabulary and improve your communication skills in Japanese.

Compared to English, there are many more words to describe family members in Japanese. These words are according to age and the style (formal and informal). For example, what is a Japanese father-in-law called?

Let’s learn how to describe family in Japanese at JapanesePod101.com. Here’s our list of the most useful Japanese words and family member terms, as well as important information about family in Japan.

Table of Contents

• Family in Japan – Cultural Perspective
• Basic Family Terms
• Terms of Relatives
• Family Terms as a Married Person
• Endearment Terms
• How to Describe Family and Ask Question about Family in Japanese
• Conclusion: How Japanesepod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

1. Family in Japan – Cultural Perspective

Before we move onto the actual family vocabulary, it’s important that we go over family roles in Japanese culture, family values in Japanese society, and the importance of family in Japanese culture. This will give you a better idea of what to expect from Japanese families, and give more context to the Japanese family vocabulary and phrases you’re going to learn!

1- Traditional and Modern Family in Japan

The traditional Japanese family is characterized by the 家 ( Ie ) or family system , which is literally translated as “household.” It refers to a home and family’s lineage, which bestows importance of kinship and loyalty to their family.

Each member of a family is expected to serve their family’s interests (rather than the individual’s) as a priority. The Japanese family is traditionally patriarchal and a household usually consists of grandparents, their son, his wife, and their children. The eldest son is expected to inherit the household assets, and he’s responsible for taking care of his parents when they get old.

In the modern Japanese family, however, the influence of the traditional ie system isn’t as strong as it used to be. A 核家族 ( kaku kazoku ) or “ nuclear family ” is very common nowadays, and consists of two parents and their children, typically centering on a married couple.

While a married couple is expected to live together with a husband’s parents in the traditional Japanese family, grandparents don’t live with a kaku kazoku in a modern Japanese family (although they are visited often).

2- Becoming a Family in Japan (Marriage)

In Japan, the 戸籍 ( Koseki ) or “family registration system” is mandatory to all households. It requires that the family records all changes in family composition and identity, such as births, deaths, marriages, divorces, acknowledgements of paternity, adoptions, and disrupted adoptions.

It’s required to register one person as the head of a household, and the rest of the members in a household must have the same surname as that of the head. Once a couple gets married, spouses are obligated to have the same surname, and registration of different surnames is not allowed.

Due to the traditional system and the importance of kinship as custom, marriage isn’t only a matter of the bride and groom, but also of their extended family. It’s expected that extended families from both sides are going to have a “family relationship” once a couple gets married in Japan. As such, relationships with one’s in-laws become important.

3- Expressions of Family in Japan

There are various words to name family members in Japanese.

Japanese vocabulary words to describe family count age difference, and there are particular names related to age. This is because age is regarded as one of the most important attributions in the Japanese society, which is greatly influenced by the concept of Confucianism that states seniority is highly respected.

As relationships with in-laws are also culturally important, there are particular names for them as well.

In addition, there are variations of how to express family members, ranging from very casual to formal. Which ones to use depend on the occasion.

Let’s dive into the details in the following sections, and get you started with common family words in Japanese.

2. Basic Family Terms

Now, it’s time to learn some basic Japanese words for family members. These are the words you’ll most often hear and use!

1- Basic Family Vocabularies

The formal terms are usually used for official occasions and in written form, while the informal terms are commonly used in casual situations (orally) as well as when calling a family member.

Average modern Japanese families usually have 1 or 2 children.

2- More Vocabulary

• 家族 かぞく ( Kazoku ) : family
• 両親 りょうしん ( Ryōshin ) : parents (father & mother)
• 親 おや ( Oya ) : parent(s)
• 子供 こども ( Kodomo ) : child(ren)
• 兄弟 きょうだい ( Kyōdai ) : brothers
• 姉妹しまい ( Shimai ) : sisters

3- Examples

Here are some examples of Japanese phrases for family, so you have a better idea how to use the vocabulary above.

• 私の家族は、お母さん、お父さん、私、弟の4人家族です。 Watashi no kazoku wa, o-kā-san, o-tō-san, watashi, otōto no yo-nin kazoku desu. My family has four members: mother, father, me, and my younger brother.
• 私は姉と妹がいる3姉妹です。 Watashi wa ane to imōto ga iru san-shimai desu. I have an older sister and a younger sister, and we are three sisters.
• 私は兄と姉がいます。 Watashi wa ani to ane ga imasu. I have an older brother and an older sister.
• 私は祖父と祖母が大好きです。 Watashi wa sofu to sobo ga daisuki desu. I like my grandfather and grandmother very much.

To listen to the pronunciation of basic family terms, please visit Must-Know Terms for Family Members on our website.

Also, if you would like to know more about Japanese numbers, please visit our Japanese Numbers article .

The bond between a mother and a daughter is often very strong.

3. Terms of Relatives

1- vocabulary for relatives.

• 親戚　しんせき ( Shinseki ) : relatives
• 叔父　おじ ( Oji ) : uncle
• 叔母　おば ( Oba ) : aunt
• 甥　おい (Oi) : nephew
• 姪　めい ( Mei ) : niece
• いとこ ( Itoko ) : cousin

2- Examples

• 私の親戚は全員東京に住んでいます。 Watashi no shinseki wa zen’in Tōkyō ni sunde imasu. All my relatives live in Tokyo.
• 私は5人いとこがいます。 Watashi wa go-nin itoko ga imasu. I have five cousins.
• 私の叔父と叔母は教師です。 Watashi no oji to oba wa kyōshi desu. My uncle and my aunt are teachers.
• 私の姪は5歳で、甥は2歳です。 Watashi no mei wa go-sai de, oi wa ni-sai desu. My niece is five years old and my nephew is two years old.

4. Family Terms as a Married Person

1- vocabulary to know as a married person.

• 結婚 けっこん ( Kekkon ) : marriage
• 既婚 きこん ( Kikon ) : married
• 未婚　みこん ( Mikon ) : unmarried
• 離婚　りこん ( Rikon ) : divorce
• 夫 おっと ( Otto ) : husband
• 妻 つま ( Tsuma ) : wife
• 息子　むすこ ( Musuko ) : son
• 娘　むすめ ( Musume ) : daughter
• 義理の ぎりの ( Giri no ) : in-law

In order to express “XXX in-law,” add 義理の ( Giri no ) in front of XXX (the family member).

For example:

• 義理の両親 ( Giri no ryōshin ) : parents-in-law
• 義理の父 ( Giri no chichi ) : father-in-law
• 義理の母 ( Giri no haha ) : mother-in-law
• 義理の兄 ( Giri no ani ) : older brother-in-law
• 義理の弟 ( Giri no otōto ) : younger brother-in-law
• 義理の姉 ( Giri no ane ) : older sister-in-law
• 義理の妹 ( Giri no imōto ) : younger sister-in-law
• 私は夫と娘が1人います。 Watashi wa otto to musume ga hitori imasu. I have a husband and one daughter.
• 私の義理の父と母は大阪に住んでいます。 Watashi no giri no chichi to haha wa Ōsaka ni sunde imasu. My father and mother in-law live in Osaka.
• 私は既婚者で子供が2人います。 Watashi wa kikonsha de kodomo ga futari imasu. I am married and I have two children.
• 私の義理の両親は、私の息子におもちゃを買いました。 Watashi no giri no ryōshin wa, watashi no musuko ni omocha o kaimashita. My parents-in-law bought a toy for my son.

5. Endearment Terms

In addition to the formal and informal terms for family, there are also more casual vocabulary words that you can call family members. It may vary from household to household, or on what kind of relationships there are between family members, but here are some examples. Just note that these are typically used in Japanese family relationships that are close.

• パパ ( Papa ) : papa

Like in English, “papa” is a common name to call a father in Japan, especially when children are very small. However, most Japanese people don’t use papa as they grow up.

• 父ちゃん ( Tō-chan ) : dad

This term includes a nuance of cute and comical affection.

• おやじ ( Oyaji ) : dad

This term is usually used by sons who are post-adolescent age. When they become adults, they often feel embarrassed to call their father papa or o-tō-san . This term also indicates a nuance of close affection.

• ママ ( Mama ) : mama

Just like papa, mama is used especially when children are still small.

• 母ちゃん ( Kā-chan ) : mom

This is the version of tō-chan used for mothers.

• お袋 ( Ofukuro ) : mom

This is the mother version of oyaji .

3- Grandfather

• じじ ( Jiji ) : grandpa

Grandchildren and their parents usually call a grandfather by this term when the grandchildren are still small. It indicates a nuance of cute affection.

• じーじ ( Jīji ) : grandpa

This is very similar to jiji , but the first ji is pronounced longer.

4- Grandmother

• ばば ( Baba ) : grandma

This is the grandmother version of jiji .

• ばーば ( Bāba ) : grandma

This is the grandmother version of jīji .

Grandparents often have endearing nicknames when they have grandchildren.

6. How to Describe Family and Ask Question about Family in Japanese

Most of the time, there’s no problem with talking about family and relatives. When it comes to marital status and children, however, it can be a delicate matter. It can sometimes be inappropriate to ask someone about his/her marital status or if they have children, unless he/she is open and willing to talk. This is especially true for a woman in her 30s.

Here are some example questions and answers related to family.

Q: 何人家族ですか。 Nan-nin kazoku desu ka. How many family members do you have?

A: お父さん、お母さん、お姉ちゃん、私の4人家族です。 O-tō-san, o-kā-san, o-nee-chan, watashi no yo-nin kazoku desu. I have four family members: father, mother, older sister, and me.

—–

Q: 兄弟はいますか。 Kyōdai wa imasu ka. Do you have brothers and sisters?

*When asking a question, kyōdai can also refer to sisters.

A: 私は姉と弟がいます。 Watashi wa ane to otōto ga imasu. I have an older sister and a younger brother.

Q: 結婚していますか。 Kekkon shite imasu ka. Are you married?

A: はい、妻と子供が2人います。 Hai, tsuma to kodomo ga futari imasu. Yes, I have a wife and two children.

Q: 孫はいますか。 Mago wa imasu ka. Do you have grandchildren?

A: はい、私は孫が6人います。 Hai, watashi wa mago ga roku-nin imasu. Yes, I have six grandchildren.

Q: ご両親はお元気ですか。 Go-ryōshin wa o-genki desu ka. How are your parents?

*It’s polite to put go in front of ryōshin when you talk about someone’s parents.

A: はい、私の父と母は元気です。 Hai, watashi no chichi to haha wa genki desu. Yes, my father and mother are doing well.

For more about self-introductions, please visit Introducing Yourself in Japanese on our website .

7. Conclusion: How Japanesepod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

I hope this article about family in Japanese culture is useful and that it helps to improve your Japanese communication skills.

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language, you’ll find more useful content on JapanesePod101.com . We provide a variety of free lessons for you to improve your Japanese language skills. For example, Must-Know Terms for Family Members is helpful if you want to practice family terms in Japanese with audio.

We also have YouTube channel: JapanesePod101 . It’s always fun to learn Japanese by watching videos and listening to actual Japanese pronunciation.

Before you go, let us know in the comments if there are any family terms you still want to know! And to practice, write a short paragraph about your family in basic Japanese. We look forward to hearing from you!

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家族 kazoku: Family in Japanese

• Post author: Language Garage
• Post published: May 28, 2022
• Post category: Japanese / Vocabulary

Image: Kampus Production on Pexels

In this post, we’ll learn vocabulary and expressions that will let you talk about 家族 kazoku family .

何人家族ですか。 Nan’nin kazoku desu ka. How many people are there in your family?

Let’s start with some basic expressions. Remember that in Japanese you use different family terms depending on whether you’re talking about your own family, or someone else’s. It can sound impolite if you mix these up, so it’s important to learn both. In the following list, the first term is what you’d use to talk about your own family, and the second is what you’d use to talk about someone else’s. 母 haha  / お母さん okāsan mother (one’s own / someone else’s) ; 父 chichi  / お父さん otōsan father ; 兄 ani / お兄さん onīsan older brother ; 弟 otōto / 弟さん otōtosan younger brother ; 姉 ane  / お姉さん onēsan   older sister ; 妹 imōto  / 妹さん  imōtosan younger sister ; 娘 musume  / 娘さん、お嬢さん musumesan, ojōsan daughter ; 息子 musuko / 息子さん  musukosan son , 両親 ryōshin  / ご両親 goryōshin parents ; 子供 kodomo / お子さん okosan   children.

• うちは｛二人・三人 ・四人 ・五人 ｝家族です。 Uchi wa {futari/san’nin/yonin/gonin} kazoku desu. There are two/three/four/five people in my family.
• 母は医者です。父は教師です。 Haha wa isha desu. Chichi wa kyōshi desu. My mother is a doctor. My father is a teacher.

• 兄弟はいますか。 Kyōdai wa imasu ka. Do you have brothers or sisters?
• 姉が一人と弟が一人います。 Ane ga hitori to otōto ga hitori imasu. I have one older sister and one younger brother.
• 男兄弟が三人います。 Otoko kyōdai ga san’nin imasu. I have three brothers.
• 女兄弟が二人います。 On’na kyōdai ga futari imasu. I have two sisters.
• 私は一人っ子です。 Watashi wa hitorikko desu. I am an only child.
• お子さんはいますか。 Okosan wa imasu ka. Do you have any children?
• 息子が一人と娘が一人います。 Musuko ga hitori to musume ga hitori imasu. We have a son and a daughter.
• 家族で一番｛年上・年下｝は誰ですか。 Kazoku de ichiban {toshiue/toshishita} wa dare desu ka. Who is the oldest/youngest in your family?

こちらは私のおばです。 Kochira wa watashi no oba desu. This is my aunt.

Now let’s look at some vocabulary for extended family: 親戚 shinseki relatives ; 祖父母 sofubo grandparents ; 祖母 sobo / おばあさん obāsan grandmother (one’s own / someone else’s) ; 祖父 sofu  / おじいさん ojīsan grandfather ; 孫 mago  / お孫さん   omagosan   grandson ; 孫娘 magomusume granddaughter ; おば   oba  / おばさん   obasan aunt ; おじ oji  / おじさん ojisan uncle ; いとこ itoko cousin ; 姪、姪っ子 mei, meikko / 姪御さん   meigosan niece ; 甥、甥っ子 oi, oikko  / 甥御さん oigosan nephew .

• 親戚にどのぐらいよく会いますか。 Shinseki ni donogurai yoku aimasu ka. How often do you see your relatives?
• おじいさんとおばあさんはどこに住んでいますか。 Ojīsan to obāsan wa doko ni sunde imasu ka. Where do you grandparents live?
• 祖母はまだ働いていますが、祖父は退職しました。 Sobo wa mada hataraite imasu ga, sofu wa taishoku shimashita. My grandmother is still working, but my grandfather is retired.
• 孫が三人います。男の子が一人と、女の子が二人です。 Mago ga san’nin imasu. Otokonoko ga hitori to, on’nanoko ga futari desu. We have three grandchildren: one boy and two girls.
• おばとおじは家の近くに住んでいます。 Oba to oji wa uchi no chikaku ni sunde imasu. My aunt and uncle live near our house.
• いとこがたくさんいます。 Itoko ga takusan imasu. I have a lot of cousins.
• 姪は大学に入りました。 Mei wa daigaku ni hairimashita. My niece just started university.
• 甥が四人います。 Oi ga yonin imasu. I have four nephews.

赤ちゃんがいます。 Akachan ga imasu. We have a baby.

Now let’s look at some vocabulary related to family: 妻、家内 tsuma, kanai  / 奥さん、奥様 okusan, okusama wife (one’s own / someone else’s) ;   夫、主人、旦那 otto, shujin, dan’na  / ご主人、旦那さん、旦那様 goshujin, dan’nasan, dan’nasama husband ; 彼 kare boyfriend ; 彼女 kanojo girlfriend ; 赤ちゃん akachan baby ; 妊娠 ninshinsuru pregnant ; 養子にする yōshi ni suru to adopt ; 結婚する kekkonsuru to get married ; 離婚する rikonsuru to get divorced ; 独身 dokushin single/unmarried ; 生まれる umareru to be born; 亡くなっている nakunatte iru dead ; 生きている ikite iru alive ; 義父 gifu / 義理のお父さん giri no otōsan stepfather ; 義母 gibo  / 義理のお母さん   giri no ok āsan stepmother ; 義理の息子 giri no musuko  / 義理の息子さん   giri no musukosan stepson ; 義理の娘 giri no musume  / 義理の娘さん   giri no musumesan stepdaughter .

• 結婚していますか。それとも独身ですか。 Kekkon shite imasu ka. Soretomo dokushin desu ka. Are you married or single?
• ｛奥さん・旦那さん｝のお仕事は何ですか。 {Okusan/Dan’nasan} no oshigoto wa nan desu ka. What does your wife/husband do for a living?
• いつ結婚しましたか。 Itsu kekkon shimashita ka. When did you get married?
• 私たちは結婚して20年です。今週末は結婚記念日です。 Watashitachi wa kekkon shite nijūnen desu. Konshūmatsu wa kekkon kinenbi desu. We’ve been married for twenty years. Our wedding anniversary is this weekend.
• 妻は妊娠しています。あと二か月で赤ちゃんが生まれます。 Tsuma wa ninshinshite imasu. Ato nikagetsu de akachan ga umaremasu. My wife is pregnant. We’re having a baby in two months.
• ｛彼・彼女｝の名前は何ですか。 {Kare/Kanojo} no namae wa nan desu ka. What is your boyfriend’s/girlfriend’s name?
• 両親は離婚しています。 Ryōshin wa rikonshite imasu. My parents are divorced.
• 養子縁組をします。 Yōshi engumi o shimasu. We’re going to adopt a child.
• ｛息子さん・娘さん｝はいつ生まれましたか。 {Musukosan/Musumesan} wa itsu umaremashita ka. When was your son/daughter born?
• 私は養子の子供です。 Watashi wa yōshi no kodomo desu. I was adopted.
• 祖母は生きていますが、祖父は亡くなりました。 Sobo wa ikite imasu ga, sofu wa nakunarimashita. My grandmother is alive, but my grandfather is dead.
• ｛義父・義母｝とはうまくやっています。 {Giru/Gibo} towa umaku yatte imasu. I have a good relationship with my stepfather/stepmother.
• ｛義理の娘・義理の息子｝と一緒に住んでいます。 {Giri no musume/Giri no musuko} to issho ni sunde imasu. My stepdaughter/stepson lives with us.
• 家族は犬と猫を飼っています。 Kazoku wa inu to neko o katte imasu. My family has a dog and a cat.

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Japanese Family Terms – How to Address Your Own Relatives and Others’

In this guide, you will learn the fundamentals of the Japanese family terms , focusing primarily on  informal  and  formal  terms. By learning how to use both informal and formal terms, you will be able to talk about  your own family (informal)  as well as address  someone else’s family (formal) .

• 1.1 “Family” in Japanese
• 1.2 “Family member” in Japanese
• 2 Addressing family members in Japanese
• 3.1 Immediate family in Japanese
• 3.2 Grandparents in Japanese
• 3.3 Parents in Japanese
• 3.4.1 Sister in Japanese
• 3.4.2 Brother in Japanese
• 3.5 Children in Japanese
• 3.6 Spouse in Japanese
• 4.1 Relatives in Japanese
• 4.2 In-laws in Japanese
• 5.2 Someone else’s relatives
• 5.3 Your in-laws
• 6 Why learn the Japanese Family Terms?

Japanese Family

In Japan, like in any other Asian country, the family is regarded as the most important sector of society. The family members are treated with respect. This is evident in the language used toward them. Each family members have their own name according to one’s relationship with that member.

A Japanese family is made up of immediate family members such as father, mother, and siblings and extended families such as grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, and cousins.

In this guide, we’ll teach you the different Japanese family terms you can use to address your own family members and other people’s family.

“Family” in Japanese

The word for “family” in Japanese is かぞく (kazoku). So when talking about your family, you can say わたしの かぞく (watashi no kazoku) which means “My family”.

For example:

わたし の かぞく は かんこく から きました。(watashi no kazokuwa kankokukara kimashita.)

My family is from Korea. 

わたし の かぞく は たべる の が すき です。(watashi no kazokuwa taberunoga suki desu.)

My family likes to eat.

“Family member” in Japanese

The word “family member” in Japanese is かぞく の いちいん (kazoku no ichiin).

Addressing family members in Japanese

The Japanese have different family words to address family members . The family words vary according to whose family member are you addressing or talking about. The Japanese family words are different when you’re talking about or addressing your own family members and when it’s a member of a different family.

In a while, you’ll be adding a few more words to your Japanese vocabulary .

Addressing your own family

Getting familiar with these terms should be the first step to learning how to address family members in Japanese. These terms are used commonly in Japan, so you will probably hear them quite often throughout day-to-day life.

Remember to use these words when you’re talking about your own family. Use it when you’re in a casual and informal setting or situation.

Immediate family in Japanese

An immediate family is きんしんしゃ (kinshinsha) in Japanese . It’s made up of grandparents, parents, siblings, children, husband, wife, and spouse. In this lesson, we’ll group the Japanese family words according to these groups.

Grandparents in Japanese

Grandparents in Japanese is そふぼ (sofubo). When talking about or addressing your grandfather you can say そふ (sofu) while grandmother is そぼ (sobo).

Parents in Japanese

Parents in Japanese are called りょうしん (ryōshin) while father is ちち (chichi) and mother is はは (haha).

Siblings in Japanese

Siblings are made up of brothers and sisters. Siblings in Japanese are called きょうだい (kyōdai).

Sister in Japanese

There are two ways to say sister in Japanese when talking about your own sister.

You’ll say あね (ane) for your older sister and いもうと (imouto) for your younger sister.

Brother in Japanese

Just like the word sister, there are two ways to say brother in Japanese when talking about your own brother.

You’ll say あに (ani) for your older brother while おとうと (otouto) for your younger brother.

Children in Japanese

Children are called こども (kodomo) in the Japanese language. But they have a specific word used for a female and male child.

Spouse in Japanese

The word spouse is はいぐうしゃ in Japanese . However, in Japan, they have exact words to call their respective spouse.

List of Family Words in Japanese

Here’s the summary of all the Japanese family member vocabulary you’ll use to address your own family.

Relatives in Japanese

To add to your Japanese vocabulary for family members, let’s learn about addressing your relatives. The word relative is translated as しんせき (shinseki).

そこで おおく の しんせき に あった.  (sokode ookuno shinsekini atta)

I met many relatives there.

あなた の しんせき は どこ に すんでいます か. (anatano shinsekiwa dokoni sundeimasuka)

Where do your relatives live?

Below is a list of people related to your own family in the Japanese language.

In-laws in Japanese

The word “in-law” is いんせき (inseki) in Japanese. However, when it comes to addressing your in-laws, the general rule of thumb is to add “義理の”（ぎりの | giri no ）before their relation in the family.

Although “義理の” is not a direct translation of “in-law” (義理 actually refers to the Japanese value of duty and obligation), you can add “義理の” as a prefix to change the relation to “in-law.”

Example sentences:

私の 妹 は6歳です。

わたし　の　 いもうと 　は　ろく  さい　です。

Watashi no  imōto  wa roku sai desu.

My  younger sister  is 6 years old .

あに 　は　だいがく きょうじゅ　です。

Ani  wa daigaku kyōju desu.

My   older brother  is a university professor .

私は 義理の姉 がいます。

わたし　は　ぎりのあね　が　います。

Watashi wa giri no ane ga imasu.

I have a (older) sister-in-law .

Addressing  someone else’s  family

Now that you’re comfortable talking about your own family, next we will look at words that you should use when addressing someone else’s family. As mentioned earlier, there’s a different way of addressing or talking about family members of another family.

Below is a list of Japanese vocabulary for someone else’s family members. A lot of these terms end with  an honorific suffix さん ( -san ) to emphasize respect   and politeness toward others.

Remember to use these words especially when you are addressing or talking about someone else’s family. You’ll also use this list of vocabulary when you are in a serious and formal setting or situation.

Tip : If you want to be extra respectful, change the さん (- san ) honorific to a 様 (さま – sama )   honorific (For example: お父さん otōsan  → お父 様   otō sama )

Someone else’s immediate family

Below is a table of words you’ll use to address or talk about other’s immediate family members.

Someone else’s relatives

Earlier we learned the vocabulary we need to address people related to our own family. This time, we’ll learn how we can address people related to someone else’s family.

For the word “relative” in the Japanese language, ごしんせき (goshinseki) is used.

Let’s take a close look at the Japanese vocabulary below. Pay close attention to how the written kanji  changes for uncle, aunt, and cousin, depending on the context (i.e., older or younger for aunts/uncles and male or female for cousins).

Your in-laws

When addressing someone else’s family members, it’s important to address them respectfully by adding the honorific suffix さん ( -san ).

私はあなたの ご両親 にお会いしたいです。

わたし　は　あなた　の　 ごりょうしん　 に　おあい したい　です。

Watashi wa anata no  goryōshin  ni oai shitai desu.

I want to meet your  parents .

山田さんの お父様 は何をされている方ですか？

やまださん　の　 おとうさま 　は　なにを　されている　かた　ですか？

Yamada-san no  otōsama  wa nani o sareteiru kata desu ka?

What does Yamada-san’s  father  do for a living?

Why learn the Japanese Family Terms?

It’s very important for you to learn the terms used in a family in Japanese. For example, you are at a formal dinner party, and your manager asks you about your family. As you describe some of your family members, you also decide to ask a question about their family. Now, are you going to use the same words that you used to describe your own family when you ask a question about your manager’s family?

It’s not just limited to conversations about your family that make learning the Japanese terms used in a family important. Whether it may be filling out an emergency contact or casually talking about your family at your company’s 歓迎会 ( kangei-kai  or welcome party), knowing some basic family terms in Japanese should come in handy at some point. But memorizing just a few terms won’t always cut it, as there are different words that are used for different occasions.

Let us know how many members are there in your family in the comment section by using the Japanese family terms you learned today!

8 replies to "Japanese Family Terms – How to Address Your Own Relatives and Others’"

Thanks for this concise review of Japanese family terms list using kanji, kana, and romaji.

Awesome, thanks for your comment! ^^ If you want, you can visit the 90 Day Japanese Blog to find more great content on learning Japanese. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel for video lessons. You’ll get updated when our latest videos become available.

І was able to find good informatіon from your blog articles.

Thanks for your comment! I’m glad that our articles have been useful to you. ^^ To find more great content on learning Japanese, visit the 90 Day Japanese Blog . You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel for video lessons. You’ll get updated when our latest videos become available.

Thank you so much for your help,I have learned too much from your article, it’s very useful for me, keep it up.

Great, thanks for your comment! I’m glad that our article has been valuable to you. ^^ You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel for video lessons. You’ll get updated when our latest videos become available.

Thanks for your help. This article helped me get an A on my Japanese assignment. Its great

Thanks for the comment, Timmee! I’m glad that our article has been helpful to you. ^^ If you want more lessons, you can check our our blog post. ^^ You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel for video lessons. You’ll get updated when our latest videos become available.

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Japanese Family Members Words and Vocabulary

There are two different ways of addressing Japanese family members.

One of them is when talking about your own family members to other people, and the other one is when mentioning someone's family members.

Japanese has this culture that they need to pay respect (尊敬 - そんけい sonkei) to other people when mentioning someone's family members.

While at the same time they have to be modest (謙譲 - けんじょう kenjou) when mentioning their own family members.

Therefore if they have to mention someone's family members in a conversation, they will address them with the words that are more respectful for the Japanese family members.

Whereas if they are talking about their own family members, they address them with the words that will express their modesty.

Let's check out what we have for own family members in the following list.

My Own Japanese Family Members

The following is the word list for one's own Japanese family members.

Someone's Japanese Family Members

The following is the word list for someone's Japanese family members.

And if you are interested to find out more vocabulary on Japanese family and how to read them in a correct manner, make sure to check out this page on the must-know terms for family members .

By the way, this link above is an affiliate link, which means that I would earn a commission if you do end up purchasing the related learning course. It's at no extra cost to you, and please if you have any questions related to this learning course, please let me know and I would be happy to answer them for you.

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Your Step-by-Step Jikoshoukai Guide Learn the basics, practice, and create an advanced Japanese self-introduction

October 11, 2016 • words written by Mami Suzuki and Michael Richey • Art by Aya Francisco

Viewing under The Tofugu JET Program Guide

When you start learning Japanese or are visiting Japan for the first time , there are few words to learn right away:

Once you've mastered those three, you need to learn your jikoshoukai.

Jikoshoukai 自己紹介 （ じこしょうかい ） is the Japanese word for "self-introduction." In theory, this is similar to how you would introduce yourself in your own culture. Say hello, say your name, tell a little about yourself. But in practice, there are cultural differences and set procedures you should stick to. You only get one first impression, so it's important to learn how to do it right.

We'll start by teaching you the basic Japanese self-introduction, then cultural subtleties, and finally a ton of extra grammar and vocabulary you can use to talk about yourself with your new Japanese friends.

Jikoshoukai Vocabulary

Writing your jikoshoukai, 1. first name and family name, 2. occupation, 3. don't talk about yourself too much, 4. bowing vs. handshake, 5. holding your hands behind your back, 6. don't bow while talking, business cards, "nice to meet you", "please be kind to me", where you are from, your school, where you live, hobbies and proficiencies, plans for the future, only the beginning, how to jikoshoukai.

Going to Japan, but don't know Japanese? Don't worry. You can jikoshoukai. The Japanese self-intro has a standard order and set phrases, so even beginners can meet and greet in Japanese.

• How do you do?

The set phrase hajimemashite 初めまして （ はじ　　　　 ） either comes from the verb hajimeru 始める （ はじ　　 ） , which means "to start," or it's a shortened form of 初めて （ はじ　　 ） お 目 （ め ） にかかりまして. Though etymologists aren't sure of the word's true origin, hajimemashite implies beginning or doing something for the first time . Most people think of it as saying "How do you do?" or "Nice to meet you."

• 私 （ わたし ） は [name] と 申します （ もう　　　 ） 。
• My name is [name].

The breakdown of this sentence is easier than it looks. It has three parts:

• 私 （ わたし ） は - The first word 私 means "I" or "me." It's followed by the particle は which indicates the topic of the sentence. In this case, 私 is the topic.
• [name] - Your name.
• と 申します （ もう　　　 ） - One meaning of the verb 申す is "to be called." It's paired with the particle と and conjugated to 申します。 This is a polite phrase, so it's safe to use in almost any situation.

When you put them all together, you get something along the lines of "I am called [name]" or "My name is [name]."

• よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） します。
• Please be kind to me.

The final piece of the puzzle is よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） します. It doesn't translate well to English, which is why we wrote a whole article about it . In a self-intro situation, it means something like "Please be kind to me." It's often translated as "Nice to meet you." This isn't technically correct, though it carries a similar feeling.

Now that you've got the basic building blocks down, it's time to put it together. At its simplest, the jikoshoukai sequence is:

• はじめまして。 私 （ わたし ） は (name) と 申 （ もう ） します。よろしくお 願 （ ねが ） いします。
• How do you do? My name is (name). Please be kind to me.

See? Not so hard. When you're getting ready to meet Japanese people for the first time, write this out and practice until it flows. If you're a beginner at Japanese , you don't need any more than this.

Jikoshoukai Etiquette

It's great to know the words to say when introducing yourself in Japanese, but how you say those words will make or break your jikoshoukai.

There are cultural differences to be aware of. They're subtle, so if you miss them it probably won't be counted against you. But paying attention to details like these can give you an extra social edge when you first meet a new Japanese friend.

In English, people usually introduce themselves by their first names or full names. When you give your full name, the first name comes first and the family name afterward.

In Japanese, people usually introduce themselves by their family names or full names. When they introduce their full name, the family name comes first and the first name comes second.

Revealing one or two of your strengths is fine, but listing all your amazing abilities will annoy others and make you seem over-confident.

In English, when you asked what you do for work, you give a brief summary of your job, or the name of your profession.

In Japan, it's common to answer only, " 会社員 （ かいしゃいん ） です。" (I'm an office worker./I work for a company./I'm a salaryman.)

However, if you introduce yourself to someone in a business setting, mention your company in your self-intro. For example:

• Tofuguのコウイチと 申します （ もう　　　 ） 。
• I'm Koichi from Tofugu.

This concept goes along with our next point…

Japanese people sometimes say lightly self-deprecating things as a form of humility, but it's usually followed by something positive (or the positivity is implied). For example:

• 至らない点が多いかもしれませんが、頑張りますので、よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） します
• I might have many flaws, but I'll do my best so please be kind to me.

You don't have to say anything like this (in fact, we advise you don't), but the point is this: Japanese people usually keep their strengths on the down-low.

So try not to show off too much. Revealing one or two of your strengths is fine, but listing all your amazing abilities will annoy others and make you seem over-confident.

In the West, if you're meeting someone one-on-one, you shake hands.

In Japan, don't move in for the handshake, especially if your status is the same or lower than the person you're meeting. In Japan, handshakes are for equals, so if you try to shake hands with the Emperor, it would be considered rude. Bow instead, and do so at the beginning and end of your jikoshoukai.

In Japan, holding your hands behind your back signals importance, so it may make you look full of yourself. Put your hands in front of you (the left hand on top of the right), or put your hands beside you.

This is a no-no from our Japanese bowing guide . Do your bowing after giving your self-introduction. Make sure to finish saying "yoroshiku onegaishimasu" and then bow.

Business cards in Japan are called meishi 名刺 （ めいし ） , and are an important part of Japanese culture. Even outside of the business world, Japanese people sometimes have personal meishi made (meishi means "name card" after all).

We covered meishi etiquette in our article about Japanese work customs , but here are the rules again in a jikoshoukai context.

Orient your card toward the recipient. Give and receive meishi with two hands.

Put meishi in a carrying case: You can buy business card carrying cases online or at any department store in Japan. If you don't have a case, you can carefully put the meishi in your purse or wallet after you've received it. Just don't put it in your pocket.

Use two hands: Orient your card toward the recipient when presenting. Hold the top edge with both hands. When they offer their card, accept it with two hands. Try not to cover any words with your fingers either. Some Japanese people are taught that a meishi is the "face" of the person giving it, so you don't want to cover theirs or your own.

When you and your new friend offer each other meishi at the same time: Present your card with your right hand, while simultaneously receiving theirs with your left.

Read meishi you receive: Read the person's name and title on the card before you put it away. Make sure to show interest in what they do. Act at least a little bit impressed with their job title.

When exchanging meishi in a group, give to the most senior person first: Start by giving your business card to the shachou, then fukushachou, and so on down the chain of command .

Treat meishi with respect: Use common sense and treat meishi like you would a gift. Don't toss or write on them.

Expanding the Basic Jikoshoukai

Maybe you've been doing your Japanese self-intro for years, repeating the same three set phrases over and over. Maybe you've read this guide before and have the basics down pat. You're ready to level up!

Below are example sentences you can mix into your standard jikoshoukai to give it more flavor, and make your self-intro a memorable one.

Earlier we learned how to use はじめまして (nice to meet you, how do you do). Here's a few ways to add to this set phrase.

• こんにちは。はじめまして。
• Hello. Nice to meet you.
• みなさん、はじめまして。
• Nice to meet you, everyone.
• みなさん、こんにちは。はじめまして。
• Hello everyone. Nice to meet you.

For a formal situation, you should say both your first and last names. In a casual situation, it's common to say only your family name for Japanese people.

If you're an English teacher on something like the JET Program , your school might want you to give your first name when you introduce yourself to the students. Ask your supervisor what's appropriate for the situation.

Below are several ways to introduce your name, organized by politeness in ascending order.

• 私 （ わたし ） の 名前 （ なまえ ） はマイケルですが、みんなにはマイクって 呼ばれて （ よ　　　 ） います。
• My name is Michael, but most people call me Mike.
• I'm Michael.

Very Formal:

• マイケルと 申します （ もう　　　 ） 。

Very Formal/Business:

• Tofuguのマイケルと 申します （ もう　　　 ） 。
• I'm Michael from Tofugu.

When you end your jikoshoukai, you'll use a phrase that means "Please be kind to me" or "Remember me favorably." But once you've got a handle on the standard " yoroshiku onegaishimasu ," you can move on to more casual or more formal variations. Below we've organized them by politeness level in ascending order.

Polite/Business:

• どうぞ、よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） します。
• よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） 致します （ いた　　　 ） 。

Very Polite/Business:

• どうぞ、よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） 致します （ いた　　　 ） 。

Formal/Business:

• よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） 申し上げます （ もう　あ　　　 ） 。
• どうぞ、よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） 申し上げます （ もう　あ　　　 ） 。

Custom Jikoshoukai Modification

From here we get into the fun stuff. After expanding on the initial three pieces of the Japanese self-introduction, you can start adding information about yourself, short sentences that explain where you're from, what you like to do, and so on.

These jikoshoukai modifications will help people get to know you faster when you first introduce yourself. This is especially important as you start to make more Japanese friends, go on dates, or have job interviews.

Telling where you're from is always a good addition to a self-intro. Even if you don't use it during the initial jikoshoukai, your new Japanese friend will probably ask you anyway, so memorizing a few of these phrases is extra useful.

Two quick vocabulary usage notes: First, the word shusshin 出身 （ しゅっしん ） mean's "person's origin," and refers more to the place you were born or grew up than where you currently live. It's often used for specific places like a city, state, or prefecture, rather than a country. For example, Mami was born in Osaka, and now lives in Canada. But she spent most of her life in Nara, so she says " 奈良県 （ ならけん ） の 出身 （ しゅっしん ） です。" or " 出身 （ しゅっしん ） は 奈良県 （ ならけん ） です。"

Second, the verb mairu 参る （ まいる ） is a more humble form of kuru 来る （ く　 ） or iku 行く （ い　 ） . So when 参る （ まい　 ） is used to talk about where you came from in "アメリカから 参りました （ まい　　　 ） ," it's much more humble, so use it in appropriate situations.

• アメリカの 出身 （ しゅっしん ） です。
• I'm from America.
• アメリカから 来ました （ き　　　 ） 。
• アメリカから 参りました （ まい　　　　 ） 。
• オレゴン 州 （ しゅう ） のポートランドから 来ました （ き　　　 ） 。 生まれ （ う　　 ） も 育ち （ そだ　 ） もポートランドです。
• I'm from Portland, Oregon. Born and raised.
• 生まれ （ う　　 ） は 大阪 （ おおさか ） ですが、 育ち （ そだ　 ） は 東京 （ とうきょう ） です。
• I was born in Osaka, but grew up in Tokyo.
• 育ち （ そだ　 ） はニューヨークです。
• I grew up in New York.
• 田舎 （ いなか ） で 育ちました （ そだ　　　　 ） 。
• I grew up in the countryside.
• 生まれ （ う　　 ） は 東京 （ とうきょう ） ですが、 十歳 （ じゅうさい ） の 時 （ とき ） に 大阪 （ おおさか ） に 引っ越しました （ ひ　こ　　　　 ） 。そして、 大学 （ だいがく ） に 入る （ はい　 ） 時 （ とき ） に、 名古屋 （ なごや ） に 引っ越して （ ひ　こ　　 ） 来ました （ き　　　 ） 。
• I was born in Tokyo, but moved to Osaka when I was ten, and lived there until I entered university, which is when I came to Nagoya.
• 小さい （ ちい　　 ） 時 （ とき ） 、 家族 （ かぞく ） が 何度も （ なんど　 ） 引っ越した （ ひ　こ　　 ） ので、 私 （ わたし ） には 育った （ そだ　　 ） 場所 （ ばしょ ） というのはないんです。
• My family moved a lot when I was little, so I'm not really from anywhere.

School, from elementary up through university , is a big part of Japanese life. Be prepared to have people ask alma mater and what you studied. Or cut them off at the pass by including the information in your jikoshoukai.

• Ⓐ 大学 （ だいがく ） Ⓑ 学部 （ がくぶ ） Ⓒ 科 （ か ） の 出身 （ しゅっしん ） です。
• I graduated from the Ⓒ department of the faculty of Ⓑ of Ⓐ University.
• Ⓐ 大学 （ だいがく ） Ⓑ 学部 （ がくぶ ） Ⓒ 科 （ か ） の 学生 （ がくせい ） です。
• I'm a student of the Ⓒ department of the faculty of Ⓑ of Ⓐ University.
• Ⓐ 大学 （ だいがく ） Ⓑ 学部 （ がくぶ ） Ⓒ 科 （ か ） の 二年生 （ にねんせい ） です。
• I'm a second year student of the Ⓒ department of the faculty of Ⓑ of Ⓐ University.
• オレゴン 大学 （ だいがく ） で、 二年間 （ にねんかん ） 東 （ ひがし ） アジアの 歴史 （ れきし ） を 専攻 （ せんこう ） していました。
• I studied East Asian history at Oregon university for two years.

Occupation is a common conversation topic when meeting someone new. If you're doing business in Japan (or want to), you'd better learn at least one of these phrases.

A quick grammar usage note: some of these jikoshoukai example sentences use the continuous state conjugation of suru する （ ） which is shiteimasu しています （ ） . If you want to get extra polite with any of these sentences, swap out しています with shiteorimasu しております （ ） . One easy switch and you're ready to tell CEOs and presidents about your work situation.

• Tofuguで 編集長 （ へんしゅうちょう ） を しています 。
• I'm the chief editor of Tofugu.
• トヨタで 営業 （ えいぎょう ） を 担当 （ たんとう ） しています 。
• I'm working in sales at Toyota.
• 会計課 （ かいけいか ） に 配属 （ はいぞく ） になりました、 佐藤 （ さとう ） です。
• I'm Satou , assigned to the accounts department.
• 私 （ わたし ） は 会社員 （ かいしゃいん ） です。
• I'm an office worker.
• 私 （ わたし ） は 英語 （ えいご ） の 教師 （ きょうし ） です。
• I'm an English teacher.
• 私 （ わたし ） は 英語 （ えいご ） を 教えています （ おし　　　　　 ） 。
• I teach English.
• 私 （ わたし ） はこの 学校 （ がっこう ） で 英語 （ えいご ） を 教えます （ おし　　　 ） 。
• I'm going to teach English at this school.
• 私 （ わたし ） は 東 （ ひがし ） フグ 小学校 （ しょうがっこう ） で 働いて （ はたら　　 ） います。
• I'm working at East Fugu Elementary School.
• 私 （ わたし ） は 東 （ ひがし ） フグ 小学校 （ しょうがっこう ） に 勤めて （ つと　　 ） います。
• I'm working for East Fugu Elementary School.

"You live around here?" is a common question no matter the culture. Be ready to answer questions about your living situation with these sentences.

• 東京 （ とうきょう ） に 住んで （ す　　 ） います。
• I live in Tokyo.
• 東京 （ とうきょう ） 駅 （ えき ） の 近く （ ちか　 ） に 住んで （ す　　 ） います。
• I live near Tokyo station.
• 東京 （ とうきょう ） 駅 （ えき ） の 近く （ ちか　 ） のマンションに 住んで （ す　　 ） います。
• I live in an apartment near Tokyo station.

Hobbies are super important part of life in Japan. Japanese junior high and high school students take school club activities seriously ( sometimes more than academics ) and this passion often continues into adult life. If you have a hobby, that is your "thing." Even if you don't think of your interests as "hobbies," describe them as such anyway. It will help people understand you better . Alternatively, you can say what you like and don't like.

• 趣味 （ しゅみ ） は[____]です。
• My hobby is [____].
• 趣味 （ しゅみ ） は[____]することです。
• My hobby is to do [____]
• [____]が 趣味 （ しゅみ ） です。
• [____]することが 趣味 （ しゅみ ） です。
• 私 （ わたし ） は[____]が 好き （ す　 ） です。
• I like [____]
• [____]も 好き （ す　 ） です。
• I also like [____]
• [____]は 好き （ す　 ） ではありません。
• I don't like [____]
• 私 （ わたし ） は[____]することが 好き （ す　 ） です。
• I like to do [____]
• 私 （ わたし ） は[____]が 得意 （ とくい ） です。
• I'm good at [____].
• 私 （ わたし ） は[____]することが 得意 （ とくい ） です。
• I'm good at doing [____].
• 私 （ わたし ） は[____]が 苦手 （ にがて ） です。
• I'm not good at/I don't like [____](noun)
• 私 （ わたし ） は[____]することが 苦手 （ にがて ） です。
• I'm not good at doing [____].

What do you want to be when you grow up? What new skills are you trying to develop? What are you going to eat for lunch tomorrow? Answer these questions and more with the example sentences below.

Grammar usage note: the noun tsumori つもり （ ） is used to tell what you plan to do. It's most commonly used in situations where you've already made up your mind. It's definite. Don't use it for instances where you're kind of maybe thinking about something, but you're not sure yet.

• [____]ようと 考えて （ かんが　　 ） います。
• I'm thinking about doing [____].
• [____]したいと 思って （ おも　　 ） います。
• I'd like to do [____].
• [____]つもりです。
• 私 （ わたし ） の 目標 （ もくひょう ） は[____]です。
• My object is [____].
• [____]に 挑戦 （ ちょうせん ） したいと 思って （ おも　　 ） います。
• I'd like to challenge [____].

Now you know what it takes to put together a stellar jikoshoukai in Japanese. Put the pieces together, mind the cultural differences, and practice till its second nature.

With a solid self-intro on your side, you're poised to start your relationships right. Just don't forget your business cards.

Family Members in Japanese

The Japanese language loves to create numerous declensions, especially depending on the interlocutors' ages and social ranks, and the family members are among those that illustrate the most these possibilities.

In Japanese, "family" is called 家族 kazoku (or ご家族 gokazoku to speak about the family of a higher social rank interlocutor).

When the following words end with the - san suffix (the most formal), it is generally possible to use - chan with a closer relationship. Also, if we talk about several identical interlocutors, we will add たち - tatchi , for example 娘(さん)たち musume (- san )- tatchi “my (your) daughters”.

(Your) parents: (ご)両親 (go)ryôshin'

• Mom: 母 haha / ママ mama
• Mother: お母さん okaasan
• Dad: 父 chichi / パパ papa
• Father: お父さん otoosan

Grandparents

Do not forget to lenghten the double vowels not to confuse them with aunts and uncles (see below).

• grandmother: お祖母さん obaasan
• grandma: 祖母 sobo
• granny: ババ baba
• grandfather: お祖父さん ojiisan
• grandpa: 祖父 sofu or ジジ jiji
• grandchildren: (o)mago(san)

Brothers and sisters (siblings): 兄弟 kyodai

• my elder / your elder: 姉 ane / お姉さん oneesan
• (your) cadet / younger sister: 妹 imôto
• My elder / your elder: 兄 ani / お兄さん oniisan
• (your) cadet/ younger brother: 弟 otôto

Husbands, wives and spouses

• my wife: 家内 kanai / tsuma
• your wife: 奥さん okusan
• my husband: 夫 otto
• your husband: ご主人 goshujin
• girlfriend: 彼女 kanojo
• boyfriend: 彼(氏) kare(shi)
• child: 子供 kodomo
• baby: 赤ちゃん akachan
• daughter: 娘 musume(-san)
• son: 息子 musuko(-san)
• aunt: 伯母さん obasan
• uncle: 伯父さん ojisan
• (your) niece: 姪(御さん) mee(gosan)
• (your) nephew: 甥(御さん) oi(gosan)
• cousin: 従兄 itoko
• Flights and Airports
• Accommodation
• Transportation
• Internet & Phones
• Budget and money
• Japanese Food
• Visit with Kids
• Seasons: spring / summer / autumn / winter
• Weather forecast
• Time in Japan
• Holidays & Festivals
• Natural Disasters
• Customs and Duties
• Works and Closures
• From April 14 to 15 -- Sanno Matsuri (the Spring Takayama Festival)
• From April 29 to 5 May -- Japanese Golden Week
• May 12 -- Mother's Day in Japan
• June 6 -- Beginning of the rainy season (Tsuyu) in Japan
• June 21 -- Summer starts in Japan
• From July 1 to 31 -- Gion Matsuri Festival in Kyoto with float processions on July 17 and 24
• Tokyo : Shinjuku , Shibuya , Harajuku , Asakusa , Akihabara , Odaiba , Ikebukuro , Ueno , Roppongi , Chiyoda , Ryogoku ...
• Around Tokyo: Kamakura , Nikko , Hakone , Mount Fuji , Mount Takao , Yokohama ...
• Kansai: Kyoto , Nara , Osaka , Mount Koya , Himeji , Kobe , Kinosaki , Kumano Kodo , Ise ...
• Japanese Alps: Kanazawa , Matsumoto , Takayama , Shirakawa-go , Nakasendo ...
• West: Hiroshima , Miyajima , Shikoku , Onomichi , Naoshima , Izumo , Kurashiki , Matsue ...
• South: Kyushu , Okinawa , Yakushima ...
• North: Hokkaido , Tohoku ...

• Temples and Shrines
• Gardens and Parks
• Hiking and Trekking
• Observation Decks
• Public Baths (Onsen and Sento)
• Festivals (Matsuri)
• Amusement Parks
• Visit on a Budget / Luxury

Keikaku is a travel agency specialist of Japan and providing different kind of services:

• Japan Rail Pass
• English speaking Guides
• Pocket Wi-fi
• Japan Nightlife
• Working in Japan
• Religion and Spirituality
• Arts and History
• Movies / Animated Movies
• Japanese Music
• Studio Ghibli
• Photos / Videos
• Weird Japan
• Translations
• Kana & Kanji
• Japanese Swear Words
• Honorific Suffixes (san, kun, chan...)
• Introducing yourself
• Thank you / Apologize
• Count / Say Your Age
• Say the Date / Tell the Time
• Happy birthday
• Enjoy Your Meal
• Writing your name

Kanas are the much-needed basic characters of written Japanese language. Memorize them at a fast pace with our method.

Ask any kind of question and share your knowledge about Japan in Kanpai’s community space, our Q&A section Kotaete.

Isshoni means "together" in Japanese: share your trip details (dates, places you would like to visit) and find companions to travel in Japan.

Create your Kanpai account to manage your profile and view your participation history (questions, answers).

The Complete Guide to Learning Hiragana: Reading & Writing (With Video)

ひらがな ( hiragana ) is the fundamental component of the Japanese writing system. カタカナ ( katakana ) and 漢字 ( kanji ) are the other two writing systems in Japanese.  If you want to learn all of the hiragana for free with step-by-step videos and descriptions, this guide is for you.

In Japan, people start learning ひらがな ( hiragana ) at a very young age, usually in preschool or early elementary. Mastering hiragana might seem overwhelming; however, this article will teach you everything you need to know about writing, pronunciation, and any valuable tips regarding hiragana .

Modern Hiragana Characters

Modern hiragana has 46 base characters: five singular vowels, 40 consonant-vowel unions, and one singular consonant. Some of you may have seen it before, but the 46 characters are organized in a chart format, which is called  あいうえお表  ( aiueo hyō ). 

The chart has ten rows of up to five  hiragana  characters. The upcoming sections are organized according to the chart. In this guide, all  hiragana  characters will be explained. You’ll learn how to pronounce and write each correctly.

*Note: While there are many methods to memorize the hiragana characters, it’s just as easy (if not easier) to just remember the characters as you practice writing them. The characters are simple and are pretty simple to remember with a little work. If you follow this up by reviewing the characters (flashcards work great for this), you’ll remember all of the characters in no time.

Part I: How to Read and Write Hiragana: 直音 (Chokuon) – Basic Characters

These are all of the basic characters of hiragana . Be sure to practice reading and writing each character to ensure that you master all of them. We’ll be using these basic characters to create more complex hiragana later on.

If you want to use the blank hiragana practice sheets as seen in the video, you can get that here: Blank Hiragana Writing Practice Sheet

あ行 (A Gyō) – A Row: Pronunciation

あ ( a ) is often the first character people learn. As with all characters, try to match of balance and stroke lengths of the examples shown in the video.

This character looks very similar to お ( o ), so pay close attention to the stroke order. It is different than writing お ( o ). Also notice that お ( o ) has a small slash on the right side while あ ( a ) does not.

Words Starting With あ (A)

• あひる ( ahiru ): Duck (animal) • あるく ( aruku ): To walk

い ( i ) looks relatively similar to り ( ri ). い ( i ) has two vertical lines that are similar in length, whereas り ( ri ) has a longer line on the right side.

Words Starting With い (I)

• いす ( isu ): Chair • いか ( ika ): Squid

う ( u ) looks a little bit like the katakana character ラ ( ra ). Be sure to practice writing う ( u ) with a flowing curve instead of the rigid, straight lines that ラ ( ra ) has.

Words Starting With う (U)

• うめ ( ume ): Japanese plum • うに ( uni ): Sea urchin

Some people think that え ( e ) looks like う ( u ) character described above. Just be sure to pay attention to the second stroke and feel how the last stroke (“the tail”) flows off of your pen.

Words Starting With え (E)

• えんぴつ ( enpitsu ): Pencil • えいご ( eigo ): English

お ( o ) does look very similar to the first character we learned, あ ( a ). Many people get these two characters mixed up in the beginning, so be sure to follow the correct stroke order of both characters. お ( o ) has a small slash on the right side for its final stroke. This is also why you need to practice writing the characters; not only will it help you to remember the characters faster, but you’ll notice more details that you may miss if you just practice reading them.

Words Starting With お (O)

• おに ( oni ): Demon • おなか ( onaka ): Stomach

か行 (Ka Gyō) – Ka Row: Pronunciation

When you start to learn katakana , you’ll notice that the カ ( ka ) looks almost identical to this hiragana か ( ka ). The biggest difference is the third stroke in this hiragana character. However, the hiragana か is also more rounded at the upper right-hand corner. Be sure to follow the video to see exactly how it’s written.

Words Starting With か (Ka)

• かさ ( kasa ): Umbrella • からあげ ( karaage ): Deep-fried food, usually chicken

This character also looks similar to its katakana equivalent (キ). So be sure to focus on how this hiragana き ( ki ) is written. The great thing about hiragana and katakana characters looking similar to each other is that it makes it easier to remember both.

However, き ( ki ) also looks similar to the hiragana さ ( sa ). Be aware that き ( ki ) has an extra horizontal line running through it.

Words Starting With き (Ki)

• きつね ( kitsune ): Fox • きけん ( kiken ): Danger

This character is a breath of fresh air since it’s one of the few (if not only) characters that looks familiar. It is similar in shape to the “less than” symbol, just spread out a little wider.

Words Starting With く (Ku)

• くじら ( kujira ): Whale • くらげ ( kurage ): Jellyfish

け ( ke ) is similar to the hiragana character は ( ha ). The difference is at the end of the third and last stroke. The third stroke of け ( ke ) trails off to the left side while は ( ha ) goes back and loops over itself.

Words Starting With け (Ke)

• けしごむ ( keshigomu ): Eraser • けっこん ( kekkon ): Marriage

The computerized version of Japanese writing differs from how it’s written by hand. This character is a good example. The image shown to the left doesn’t have a small “hook” at the end of the first stroke. However, if you were to write こ ( ko ) by hand, you would need to put this small hook at the end in order for it to look nice.

Words Starting With こ (Ko)

• こども ( kodomo ): Child • これ ( kore ): This

さ行 (Sa Gyō) – Sa Row: Pronunciation

As mentioned above in the ka -row section, さ ( sa ) looks a little like き ( ki ). However, さ ( sa ) also looks like the hiragana character ち ( chi ), especially when it’s in computer font form. When writing it out by hand, it’s easy to see that the two characters are quite different. In addition to the third and last stroke of さ ( sa ) going in the opposite direction of ち ( chi ), it is also not touching the first two strokes.

Words Starting With さ (Sa)

• さかな ( sakana ): Fish • さしみ ( sashimi ): Raw, sliced seafood (usually fish)

し ( shi ) looks like a backwards “J” or a fishhook. It is also similar to the first stroke of the character も ( mo ), which we’ll learn a little bit later. While this character is only one stroke, it takes a bit of practice to make it look nice. As with all characters, aim to have a nice balance (of the strokes and spaces in-between and around the strokes) when writing them.

Words Starting With し (Shi)

• しまうま ( shimauma ): Zebra • しお ( shio ): Salt

If you combine す ( su ) with し ( shi ) above, you’ll get the popular Japanese food すし ( sushi ). Have fun with “loop” in the second stroke. This type of loop is unique to certain characters in hiragana . It does not appear in katakana or commonly used kanji .

Words Starting With す (Su)

• すいか ( suika ): Watermelon • すず ( suzu ): Bell

This another character that looks similar to its katakana counterpart. The hiragana せ ( se ) has three strokes while the katakana セ ( se ) only has two. However, it can be easy to get these two characters mixed up in the beginning.

Words Starting With す (Se)

• せみ ( semi ): Cicada • せっけん ( sekken ): Soap

The bottom half of そ ( so ) is slightly similar to て ( te ), but the single stroke and look of そ ( so ) is so unique that most people remember it quickly.

Words Starting With そ (So)

• そら ( sora ): Sky • それ ( sore ): That

た行 (Ta Gyō) – Ta Row: Pronunciation

た ( ta ) and に ( ni ) look a little similar. た has an extra horizontal line on the left side (the first stroke). た ( ta ) also has four strokes while に ( ni ) has three.

Words Starting With た (Ta)

• たぬき ( tanuki ): Raccoon dog • たこ ( tako ): Octopus

As previously mentioned, ち ( chi ) can be mistaken for さ ( sa ) since they look similar. It’s almost like a lower case “b” and “d” where the bottom part of the character determines which letter it is. Another thing to note is that “chi” is the Hepburn romanization style. There is another romanization style called  訓令式 ( kunrei shiki ), where ち would be written as “ ti .” Proper English translations use the Hepburn style, but be aware that there are other ways to write romaji.

Words Starting With ち (Chi)

• ちず ( chizu ): Map • ちじ ( chiji ): Governor

つ ( tsu ) looks like し ( shi ) flipped over and turned on its side. Even though they share the same shape, the difference in their position makes them easy to recognize and remember. Practice them both and you’ll see for yourself 🙂

Words Starting With つ (Tsu)

• つくえ ( tsukue ): Desk • つる ( tsuru ): Crane (bird)

て ( te ) almost looks like curvy “T.” As you learn more Japanese, you’ll find yourself using the て ( te ) character a lot. Not only is it common in words, but there is something called the て-Form . It is a way to conjugate verbs, adjectives, and nouns to create all kind of wonderful grammatical patterns. You’ll use this character so much there’s no way you’ll forget it!

Words Starting With て (Te)

• て ( te ): Hand • てがみ ( tegami ): Letter (as in “I wrote a letter to her…”)

と ( to ) is also another character you’ll be using a lot in your Japanese studies. It is a useful Japanese particle that means “and” or “with.” It is also one of the easier particles in Japanese to understand and use. So practice this one because you’ll be using it often in the future!

Words Starting With と (To)

• とけい ( tokei ): Clock • とかげ ( tokage ): Lizard

な行 (Na Gyō) – Na Row: Pronunciation

な ( na ) can feel a little tricky to write at first. Put the effort into writing this character neatly and smoothly, because you’ll be using it relatively often in your Japanese studies. There are two types of adjectives in Japanese ; い-adjectives and な-adjectives. な-adjectives all end in な, so you’ll be using this character a lot when you learn about adjectives.

Words Starting With な (Na)

• なす ( nasu ): Eggplant • なぞ ( nazo ): Riddle, puzzle

As mentioned previously, に ( ni ) looks a little bit like た ( ta ). You just need to be aware of the first horizontal stroke in た ( ta ) (or the lack thereof in に ( ni )).

Words Starting With に (Ni)

• にわとり ( niwatori ): Chicken • にわ ( niwa ): Garden, yard

ぬ ( nu ) and め ( me ) look almost the same. Many people get these characters mixed up, so be sure to learn this correctly from the beginning. The difference is that ぬ ( nu ) has a small loop at the bottom (that looks like a “2”) while め ( me ) does not.

Words Starting With ぬ (Nu)

• ぬりえ ( nurie ): Picture for coloring (like a coloring book) • ぬの ( nuno ): Cloth

This is another character that looks very similar to another. ね ( ne ) and れ ( re ) are very similar. Just like with ぬ ( nu ) and め ( me ), the difference is whether or not there is a small loop on its final stroke. ね ( ne ) has a small loop at the bottom (that looks like a “2”) while れ ( re ) does not.

Words Starting With ね (Ne)

• ねこ ( neko ): Cat • ねずみ ( nezumi ): Mouse, rat

の ( no ) looks like the letter “e” that has been flipped over and rotated. It is pronounced almost the same way as “no” in English. It is also another useful particle , which is used for the possessive form (my book, his computer, my company’s car, etc.)

Words Starting With の (No)

• のり ( nori ): Seaweed (for eating), glue • のみもの ( nomimono ): Drink(s), beverage

は行 (Ha Gyō) – Ha Row: Pronunciation

は ( ha ) and ほ ( ho ) look very similar. The biggest difference is that ほ ( ho ) has two horizontal lines running through the last vertical stroke on the right side. は ( ha ) only has one horizontal line going through it.

Also, は is actually pronounced “wa” when it’s used as a particle. You’ll learn more about this when you start to study basic Japanese sentences.

Words Starting With は (Ha)

• はさみ ( hasami ): Scissors • はな ( hana ): Flower(s), nose

ひ ( hi ) is only one stroke, so just be sure to start from the left side ending the stroke on the right side.

Words Starting With ひ (Hi)

• ひつじ ( hitsuji ): Sheep • ひみつ ( himitsu ): Secret

ふ ( fu ) looks a little complicated to write. It is probably the most difficult hiragana character to write, but you can still learn to write it quickly with a little practice. There are also two ways to write ふ ( fu ). Check out the video to see both ways you can write this character. Also, you would think this character would be read as “ hu ,” not “ fu .” Actually, both are correct, but as explained in the ち ( chi ) description, fu is the Hepburn romanization style and is used much more commonly in proper English translations.

Words Starting With ふ (Fu)

• ふぶき ( fubuki ): Snowstorm • ふきん ( fukin ): Dishcloth

へ ( he ) is another single stroke character. It is pretty easy to write, but just make sure to start on the left side, stroking down towards the right.

Words Starting With へ (He)

• へび ( hebi ): Snake • へや ( heya ): Room

As mentioned in the description for は ( ha ) above, ほ ( ho ) looks almost the same but has an extra horizontal line at the top. Be sure to be aware of this extra line to differentiate between は ( ha ) and ほ ( ho ).

Words Starting With ほ (Ho)

• ほたて ( hotate ): Scallop • ほほえみ ( hohoemi ): Smile

ま行 (Ma Gyō) – Ma Row: Pronunciation

ま ( ma ) looks like the right side of ほ ( ho ), but there is a very important detail you should be aware of. The vertical line going through the two horizontal lines in ま ( ma ) extends above the top horizontal line. You’ll start writing the vertical line (the third stroke) above the top horizontal line (the first stroke). However, in ほ ( ho ), the vertical line does not extend past the top horizontal stroke. For ほ ( ho ), you’ll start the vertical line (fourth stroke) at or just below (but still touching) the top horizontal stroke.

Words Starting With ま (Ma)

• まくら ( makura ): Pillow • まぐろ ( maguro ): Tuna

み ( mi ) is another character with that unique loop shape on its left side. Have fun writing this character as you go down, loop around, and finish the first stroke on the right-hand side.

Words Starting With み (Mi)

• みず ( mizu ): Water • みち ( michi ): Street, road, path

む ( mu ) has a similar shape as す ( su ), except the line keeps going after the loop and extends to the right, and finishes by curving back up slightly.

Words Starting With む (Mu)

• むし ( mushi ): Insect • むすこ ( musuko ): Son

As mentioned earlier, め ( me ) looks almost exactly like ぬ ( nu ). The differnce is that ぬ ( nu ) has a loop at the end while め ( me ) does not.

Words Starting With め (Me)

• め ( me ): Eye • めがね ( megane ): Eyeglasses

も ( mo ) is similar to し ( shi ), but has two horizontal lines cutting through its vertical stroke.

Words Starting With も (Mo)

• もり ( mori ): Forest • もも ( momo ): Peach

ら行 (Ra Gyō) – Ra Row: Pronunciation

ら ( ra ) has a unique shape and sometimes people confuse it for さ ( sa ) or や (ya). It takes a little bit of getting used to, but if you practice writing all the characters (as much as you can!) and review with flashcards/notes, you’ll remember all of them in no time.

Words Starting With ら (Ra)

• らくだ ( rakuda ): Camel • らくがき ( rakugaki ): Graffiti, scribble

This hiragana り ( ri ) looks almost identical to the katakana リ ( ri ). This makes it easy to remember both, but when writing, the hiragana り ( ri ) usually has a small hook at the end of the first stroke.

Words Starting With り (Ri)

• りんご ( ringo ): Apple • りかい ( rikai ): Understanding

る ( ru ) and ろ ( ro ) look very similar, so just remember that る ( ru ) has a loop at the bottom while ろ ( ro ) does not.

Words Starting With る (Ru)

• るす ( rusu ): Absence • るいじ ( ruiji ): Resemblance, similarity

れ ( re ) looks like ね ( ne ). Just remember that れ ( re ) does not loop around at the end of the second stroke. These differences seem very small at first, but after a while you’ll notice them easily.

Words Starting With れ (Re)

• れきし ( rekishi ): History • れんこん ( renkon ): Lotus root

As previously mentioned, ろ ( ro ) looks like る( ru ). Just remember that ろ ( ro ) does not have a loop at the end of its stroke.

Words Starting With ろ (Ro)

• ろうそく ( rōsoku ): Candle • ろんり ( ronri ): Logic

や行 (Ya Gyō) – Ya Row: Pronunciation

Traditionally, the ya -row comes before the ra -row on hiragana charts. However, there are only three characters in the ya -row, so we decided to teach it after the ra -row to make it easier to follow and hopefully easier to understand.

Words Starting With や (Ya)

• やかん ( yakan ): Kettle • やきにく ( yakiniku ): Yakiniku, Japanese grilled meat done in a Korean barbeque style

ゆ ( yu ) is a fun character to write. It almost looks like a picture of a fish. You’ll also see this character if you go to an onsen ( hot spring ) in Japan. At an onsen in Japan, ゆ ( yu ) means “hot water” or “hot spring water” that you bathe in. The kanji for hot water is 湯 ( yu ), but you will often see the hiragana “ゆ” written on signs or noren (short curtains hung at the top of a door/entrance) at onsens.

Words Starting With ゆ (Yu)

• ゆき ( yuki ): Snow • ゆず ( yuzu ): Yuzu (type of citrus fruit)

よ ( yo ) looks a little bit like ま ( ma ). However, よ ( yo ) only has one horizontal line (the first stroke) while ま ( ma ) has two. Also, if you look closely, the horizontal line in よ ( yo ) does not go through the vertical stroke. Be sure to practicing writing よ ( yo ) so that the first stroke doesn’t cut across the second, vertical stroke.

Words Starting With よ (Yo)

• よる ( yoru ): Night • よやく ( yoyak u): Appointment, reservation, advance order

わ行 (Wa Gyō) – Wa Row: Pronunciation

わ ( wa ) looks similar to ね ( ne ). The difference is ね ( ne ) has a loop and わ ( wa ) doesn’t.

Words Starting With わ (Wa)

• わに ( wani ): Alligator • わくせい ( wakusei ): Planet

This is actually another character for “ o ,” but it is sometimes written as “ wo ” as shown here. Usually, we write this を as “ o ” in our other Japanese lessons , as it is more standardized for learners of Japanese. The biggest difference between を ( o ) and お ( o ), is that this を ( o ) is a particle, and is not used in any words.

Words Starting With を (Wo)

There is no Japanese word that starts with を ( o ). を is a particle and indicates what the direct object of a sentence is.

The last character! After you complete this, you’ll have learned all of the hiragana characters! However, your work is not done yet. There’s a few more things to learn about hiragana before you have completely mastered everything.

Words Starting With ん (N)

There is no Japanese word that starts with ん ( n ). Do you know a Japanese word game called しりとり ( shiritori )? The players need to say a word that begins with the last character of the previous word that was said by the other player. If a player says a word ending in ん ( n ), they lose the game, as no Japanese word begins with that character.

Congratulations!!! You’ve learned all of the basic hiragana characters. Give yourself a big pat on the back! However, there are still things you need to learn. There are a few things that you can add to some of these hiragana characters to change their pronunciation. Also, you can combine certain characters together to make a “hybrid” character!

Part II: Advanced Hiragana: Characters With Different Sounds

If you mastered all of the hiragana characters on this page, the hard work is over. Now we just need to learn a few more things to truly master all of commonly used hiragana characters in Japanese.

濁音 (Dakuon) – Hiragana with 濁点(Dakuten)

濁点 ( Dakuten ) is the two small dashes that you write on the upper right-hand side of certain characters. This mark looks similar to double quotation marks in English (“). This will change the pronunciation of the character from an unvoiced consonant, to a voiced consonant, 濁音 ( dakuon ).

Sounds confusing? Don’t worry! It’s actually really easy. You just need to remember which characters can take this mark, and the rest is really easy.

The only characters that can take the 濁点 ( dakuten ) are the か ( ka ) , さ ( sa ) , た ( ta ) , and は ( ha ) rows . Let’s see what happens when you add 濁点 ( dakuten ) to the characters in these rows.

濁音 (Dakuon): か (Ka) Row Becomes the が (Ga) Row

Any character in the か ( ka ) row that has a dakuten attached to it will go from a “k” sound to a “g” sound.

• か ( ka ) —> が ( ga )
• き ( ki ) —> ぎ ( gi )
• く ( ku ) —> ぐ ( gu )
• け ( ke ) —> げ ( ge )
• こ ( ko ) —> ご ( go )

濁音 (Dakuon): さ (Sa) Row Becomes the ざ (Za) Row

Any character in the さ ( sa ) row that has a 濁点 ( dakuten) attached to it will go from a “s” sound to a “z” sound, EXCEPT for し ( shi ). し ( shi ) will turn into じ ( ji ).*

• さ ( sa ) —> ざ ( za )
• し ( shi ) —> じ ( ji )
• す ( su ) —> ず ( zu )
• せ ( se ) —> ぜ ( ze )
• そ ( so ) —> ぞ ( zo )

*Note: じ ( zi ) is the  訓令式 ( kunrei shiki ) reading, which is the system ordered by the Cabinet of Japan. However, ji is the Hepburn style of romaji, which is what is used in most English translations. It is also much closer to the pronunciation of that actually Japanese. For example, the word “じかん” means “time.” It is pronounced “ ji kan.” If you were to pronounce it using the kunrei shiki romanization, it would be “ zi kan,” which would not be the correct pronunciation.

Example Words: ざ (Za) Row

• ざ ( za ) —> ざ ぶとん ( za buton ): Floor cushion
• じ ( ji ) —> じ かん ( ji kan ): Time
• ず ( zu ) —> ず かん ( zu kan ): Picture book
• ぜ ( ze ) —> ぜ んそく ( ze nsoku ): Asthma
• ぞ ( zo ) —> ぞ う ( zō ): Elephant

濁音 (Dakuon): た (Ta) Row Becomes the だ (Da) Row

The た ( ta ) row is a little tricky. It has two exceptions, but it’s not too difficult. Characters in the た ( ta ) row that has a 濁点 ( dakuten ) attached to it will go from a “t” sound to a “d” sound, EXCEPT for ち ( chi ) and つ ( tsu ).

ち ( chi ) will turn into ぢ ( ji ). Wait a minute! We just learned that し ( shi ) also turns into じ ( ji ). Yes, both of these characters have the same romaji and same pronunciation. How can two different characters have the same reading?

The answer lies in something called 連濁 ( rendaku ) in Japanese. Basically, 連濁 ( rendaku ) is when you combine words together that result in the first consonant of the second word becoming voiced. This is the same thing we are doing here; ち ( chi ) becomes a voiced ぢ ( ji ) with the 濁点 ( dakuten ). Let’s check out an example.

Let’s look at two different words and combine them. はな ( hana ) can mean either flower or nose. For our example, it will mean “nose.” ち ( chi ) also has two meanings; it can either mean blood or ground/earth. In this example, it will mean “blood.”

If we put these words together, it will mean “nosebleed” and it should look like this: はな ち ( hanachi )…BUT

Because of the 連濁 ( rendaku ), the first constant of the second word ち ( chi – blood) will become voiced —> ぢ ( ji ). Therefore, the correct word will be “はな ぢ ( hana ji ).” Most of the time, ぢ ( ji ) is found in the middle or end of words. There are few (if any) words that start with ぢ ( ji ). It’s when the original word uses ち ( chi ) but becomes voiced when combined with other words.

The other exception is つ ( tsu ). With the 濁点 ( dakuten ), it will change to づ ( zu ). This also shares the same romaji as the character す ( su ) —> ず ( zu ). Just like with the ぢ ( ji ) character above, づ ( zu ) is most used as 連濁 ( rendaku ). In other words, づ ( zu ) is mainly used when it is combined with other words (in the middle or end of words, not at the beginning).

Let’s take a look at the whole だ ( da ) row:

• た ( ta ) —> だ ( da )
• ち ( chi ) —> ぢ ( ji )
• つ ( tsu ) —> づ ( zu )
• て ( te ) —> で ( de )
• と ( to ) —> ど ( do )

Example Words: だ (Da) Row

• だ ( da ) —> だ いず ( da izu ): Soy beans
• ぢ ( ji ) —> はな ぢ ( hana ji ): Nosebleed
• づ ( zu ) —> つ づ き ( tsu zu ki ): Continuation (of something; story, work, tv show, etc.)
• で ( de ) —> で ぐち ( de guchi ): Exit
• ど ( do ) —> ど ろ ( do ro ): Mud

濁音 (Dakuon): は (Ha) Row Becomes the ば (Ba) Row

Any character in the は ( ha ) row that has a 濁点 ( dakuten ) attached to it will go from a “h” sound to a “b” sound.

• は ( ha ) —> ば ( ba )
• ひ ( hi ) —> び ( bi )
• ふ ( fu ) —> ぶ ( bu )
• へ ( he ) —> べ ( be )
• ほ ( ho ) —> ぼ ( bo )

Example Words: ば (Ba) Row

• ば ( ba ) —> ば けつ ( ba ketsu ): Bucket
• び ( bi ) —> び じん ( bi jin ): Beautiful woman
• ぶ ( bu ) —> ぶ り ( bu ri ): Japanese amberjack, yellowtail
• べ ( be ) —> べ んごし ( be ngoshi ): Lawyer
• ぼ ( bo ) —> ぼ くし ( bo kushi ): Pastor

半濁音 (Handakuon) – Hiragana With the Consonant “P”

半濁音 ( handakuon ) only applies to the は ( ha ) row. As seen above, the 濁音 ( dakuon ) reading for the は ( ha ) row changes to a “b” sound (ば ( ba ), び ( bi ), ぶ ( bu ), べ ( be ), ぼ ( bo )).

However, the characters in the は ( ha ) row can also be changed to a 半濁音 ( han dakuon ) reading. This changes the “h” sound to a “p” sound. This is done by writing a small circle at the top right-hand corner of the character. This small is written from the bottom to the top, clockwise:

• は ( ha ) —> ぱ ( pa )
• ひ ( hi ) —> ぴ ( pi )
• ふ ( fu ) —> ぷ ( pu )
• へ ( he ) —> ぺ ( pe )
• ほ ( ho ) —> ぽ ( po )

Be sure to notice whether it’s a small circle 半濁音 ( handakuon ) or the two slashes which will create a 濁点 ( dakuon ) at the upper right-hand corner of the character. It can be easy to mix them up, especially when it’s written in a small font size.

Example Words: ぱ (Pa) Row

• ぱ ( pa ) —> ぱ ん ( pa n ): Bread
• ぴ ( pi ) —> ぴ ったり ( pi ttari ): Exactly, precisely
• ぷ ( pu ) —> ぷ に ぷ に ( pu ni pu ni ): Squishy, bouncy, cuddly
• ぺ ( pe ) —> ぺ きん ( pe kin ): Beijing
• ぽ ( po ) —> ぽ ちゃ ( po cha ): Chubby

促音 (Sokuon) – The Small “つ (Tsu)”

The small っ ( tsu ), otherwise known as 小さいつ ( chiisai tsu ), is used to represent a doubled or “geminate” consonant, referred to as a 促音 ( sokuon ) in Japanese. It’s called the small っ ( tsu ) because it is a mini version of the hiragana つ ( tsu ) character:

• Normal tsu : つ
• Small tsu : っ

The small っ ( tsu ) does not have any special pronunciation on its own. Instead, it will affect the pronunciation of the character that follows it. Any character that comes after the small っ ( tsu ) will have its consonant changed into a double consonant . What does this mean? Let’s look at an example:

かこ ( kako ) in Japanese means “the past.) If we put a small っ ( tsu ) in the middle of this word, we would get かっこ ( kakko ). The character that comes after the small っ ( tsu ) (こ in this case) will change into a double consonant. This just means that:

• No small っ ( tsu ): こ ( ko )
• Small っ ( tsu ) in front of character: っこ ( kko )

The small っ ( tsu ) acts as a small pause when pronouncing words. かっこ ( kakko ) would almost feel as if you were saying two separate words, kak and ko . You would say “ kak ” first, followed by a short pause, then say “ ko “. Let’s look at some other examples of words with the small っ ( tsu ).

Example Words: Small っ (Tsu)

• に っ ぽん ( ni pp on ): Japan
• き っ て ( ki tt e ): Postage stamp
• て っ ぱん ( te pp an ): Iron plate which is used to cook food

Part III: Combination Characters

This is the last part! We can combine some of the hiragana characters together to form new characters, but learning how to read them are very simple. You just need to remember which characters go together, and you’ll master this section easily…and you’ll be a hiragana professional!

拗音 (Yōon) – Combination Hiragana Characters

You can take the three characters from the や ( ya ) row; や ( ya ), ゆ ( yu ), よ ( yo ) and combine it with these characters:

• き ( ki ) and ぎ ( gi )
• し ( shi ) and じ ( ji )
• ち ( chi ) and ぢ ( ji )
• ひ ( hi ), び ( bi ), and ぴ ( pi )

How to Combine Hiragana Characters Together

Combining hiragana characters are really easy. All you need to do is take one of the ya -row characters; や ( ya ), ゆ ( yu ), よ ( yo ), and write it smaller, and put it on the lower right-hand corner of one of the characters listed above (if writing it horizontally). If you are writing hiragana in the traditional vertical way, you would first write one of the characters listed above and then put the smaller ya -row character beneath it.

To read this new combined character, you would replace the “ i ” of any character listed above with the reading of the ya -row character. Sounds confusing? Take a look at this and it should clear things right up:

• き ( k i ) + ゃ ( ya ) = きゃ ( kya )
• き ( k i ) + ゅ ( yu ) = きゅ ( kyu )
• き ( k i ) + ょ ( yo ) =きょ ( kyo )
• and so on…

However…

The readings for し ( shi ), じ ( ji ), ち ( chi ), and ぢ ( ji ) are the exceptions. Just like the characters above, you will replace the “ i ” with the reading of a ya -row character. However, you will get rid of the “y” and only use the vowel of the や ( ya ) row character ( a , u , o ).

• し ( sh i ) + ゃ ( y a ) = しゃ ( sha )
• し ( sh i ) + ゅ ( y u ) = しゅ ( shu )
• し ( sh i ) + ょ ( y o ) = しょ ( sho )
• じ ( j i ) + ゃ ( y a ) = じゃ ( ja )
• じ ( j i ) + ゅ ( y u ) = じゅ ( ju )
• じ ( j i ) + ょ ( y o ) = じょ ( jo )
• ち ( ch i ) + ゃ ( y a ) = ちゃ ( cha )
• ち ( ch i ) + ゅ ( y u ) = ちゅ ( chu )
• ち ( ch i ) + ょ ( y o ) = ちょ ( cho )
• ぢ ( j i ) + ゃ ( y a ) = ぢゃ ( ja )
• ぢ ( j i ) + ゅ ( y u ) = ぢゅ ( ju )
• ぢ ( j i )+ ょ ( y o ) = ぢょ ( jo )

Let’s take a look at each of these combination hiragana characters in more detail.

きゃ行 (Kya Gyō) – Kya Row: き (Ki) and ぎ (Gi) + ゃ (Ya), ゅ (Yu), and ょ (Yo)

Remember that you can also make these combination hiragana characters with the 濁音 ( dakuon ) reading of き: ぎゃ ( gya ), ぎゅ ( gyu ), ぎょ ( gyo )

Example Words: きゃ (Kya) Row

• きゃ く ( kya ku ): Customer
• きゅ うり ( kyū ri ): Cucumber
• きょ うふ ( kyō fu ): Fear
• ぎゃ く ( gya ku ): Opposite
• ぎゅ うにく ( gyū niku ): Beef
• ぎょ うざ ( gyō za ): Dumpling

しゃ行 (Sha Gyō) – Sha Row: し (Shi) and じ (Ji) + ゃ (Ya), ゅ (Yu), and ょ (Yo)

The 濁音 ( dakuon ) reading of し ( shi ) is じ ( ji ), and it can be combined with any character from the ya -row as well.

Example Words: しゃ (Sha) Row

• しゃ かい ( sha kai ): Society
• しゅ うまつ ( shū matsu ): Weekend
• しょ うじ ( shō ji ): Paper sliding door
• じゃ んけん ( ja nken ): Rock scissors paper game
• じゅ ぎょう ( ju gyō ): Class
• じょ うあい ( jō ai ): Affection

ちゃ行 (Cha Gyō) – Cha Row: ち (Chi) and ぢ (Ji) + ゃ (Ya), ゅ (Yu), and ょ (Yo)

The 濁音 ( dakuon ) reading of ち ( chi ) is ぢ ( ji ), and it can be combined with any character from the ya -row as well.

Example Words: ちゃ (Cha) Row

• ちゃ わん ( cha wan ): Rice bowl
• ちゅ うし ( chū shi ): Cancel
• ちょ うれい ( chō rei ): Morning assembly
• ぢゃ ( ja ): Same as じゃ ( ja ), and is usually not used. じゃ ( ja ) is commonly used.
• ぢゅ ( ju ): Same as じゅ ( ju ), and it usually not used. じゅ ( ju ) is commonly used.
• ぢょ ( jo ): Same as じょ ( jo ), and it usually not used. じょ ( jo ) is commonly used.

にゃ行 (Nya Gyō) – Nya Row: に (Ni) + ゃ (Ya), ゅ (Yu), and ょ (Yo)

Example Words: にゃ (Nya) Row

• にゃ ん ( nya n ): Meow (the sound of a cat’s meow)
• にゅ ういん ( nyū in ): Hospitalization
• にょ う ( nyō ): Urine

ひゃ行 (Hya Gyō) – Hya Row: ひ (Hi), び (Bi), and ぴ (Pi) + ゃ (Ya), ゅ (Yu), and ょ (Yo)

You can also make these combination hiragana characters with the 濁音 ( dakuon ) reading of ひ ( hi ):

and the 半濁音 ( handakuon ) reading:

Example Words: ひゃ (Hya) Row

• ひゃ く ( hya ku ): A hundred
• ひゅ う ( hyū ): Sound of winds
• ひょ うか ( hyō ka ): Evaluation
• びゃ くだん ( bya kudan ): Indian sandalwood
• びゅ うげん ( byū gen ): Fallacy
• びょ ういん ( byō in ): Hospital
• ろっ ぴゃ く ( rop pya ku ): Six hundred
• ぴゅ う ( pyū ): Sound of something whizzing through the air
• ぴょ ん ( pyo n ): Jumping lightly or nimbly

みゃ行 (Mya Gyō) – Mya Row: み (Mi) + ゃ (Ya), ゅ (Yu), and ょ (Yo)

Example Words: みゃ (Mya) Row

• みゃ く ( mya ku ): Pulse
• きゃりーぱ みゅ ぱ みゅ ( Kyary Pa myu Pa myu ): Name of famous Japanese singer
• みょ うじ ( myō ji ): Last name

りゃ行 (Rya Gyō) – Rya Row: り (Ri) + ゃ (Ya), ゅ (Yu), and ょ (Yo)

Example Words: りゃ (Rya) Row

• りゃ く ( rya ku ): Abbreviation
• りゅ うこう ( ryū kō ): Trend
• りょ こう ( ryo kō ): Trip

Part IV: The History of Hiragana

When you look at the history of the Japanese writing system, 漢字 ( kanji ) are known to be the first characters used. 漢字 ( kanji ) came to Japan from China more than 1,000 years ago. Japanese people back then only used 漢字 ( kanji ).

However, according to many sources, including this educational Japanese website (Japanese only), 漢字 ( kanji ) was only used by men, not women. (In today’s society, there is no such rule regarding kanji ). Therefore, women needed to come up with a different way to communicate with others, and this was when ひらがな ( hiragana ) was created.

Hiragana characters were created by mimicking and breaking down kanji characters. Since the telephone didn’t exist at the time, they used letters to exchange ideas and feelings. For women and men to understand each other, men eventually needed to learn hiragana characters. And this is how hiragana was born and passed on.

I hope you could master all of the hiragana characters with this guide! Please let us know this guide help you to learn how to read and write hiragana , or if you have any suggestions. Be sure to check out more of our Japanese lessons to learn more!

Momoko Hoyt

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Family Vocab In Japanese: Terms For People In Your Family

• Read time 8 mins

Learning how to describe your family members in Japanese takes time.

It’s not quite as straightforward as it is in English.

Thankfully, I’ve put together a detailed reference for you right here with audio so you can refer to it as needed.

You might also like to follow this up with my guide on Japanese honorifics .

The example sentences are done in plain form with the polite form in parentheses.

Japanese family vocabulary chart 👨‍👩‍👦

In this table, you’ll find all the most important vocabulary for describing family members.

Below are a number of Japanese vocabulary words associated with the family.

All words are nouns unless otherwise specified.

Both Hiragana and Kanji as well as audio are provided for reference.

Example sentences describing your family in Japanese

Here are some example sentences using terms from the table above:

Hiragana: きょうだいはさんにんであにひとりといもうとふたり(です)。

Kanji: 兄弟は三人で兄一人と妹二人(です)。

Hiragana: ぼくはハーフだ(です)。ちちはアメリカじんではははにほんじんだ(です)。

Kanji: 僕はハーフだ(です)。父はアメリカ人で母は日本人だ(です)。

Hiragana: なつやすみはそふぼのいえにほうもんする(します)。

Kanji: 夏休みは祖父母の家に訪問する(します)。

Additonal useful vocabulary

Here are some additional terms (including terms used in the sample sentences above):

Describe your family in Japanese

I hope this simple reference guide has proven useful.

As you can see, Japanese family terminology can be a little more complex than English.

Memorizing these terms requires practice.

To take it further, there’s a great lesson that covers the topic of family in more detail in the Rocket Japanese course too.

Did I miss any family members?

Comment below.

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• Draw it in the drawing area
• Type the name in the text area
• Look for it in the list
• Notice that 漢 is made of several components: 氵 艹 口 夫
• Draw any of these components (one at a time) in the drawing area, and select it when you see it
• Alternatively, look for a component in the list. 氵 艹 口 each have three strokes; 夫 has four strokes
• If you know the meanings of the components, type any of them in the text area: water (氵), grass (艹), mouth (口) or husband (夫)
• Keep adding components until you can see your kanji in the list of matches that appears near the top.
• Draw a component in the center of the area, as large as you can
• Try to draw the component as it appears in the kanji you're looking up
• Don't worry about stroke order or number of strokes
• Don't draw more than one component at a time

Grammar detail: family members

• そぼ 祖母 grandmother
• そふ 祖父 grandfather
• はは 母 mother
• ちち 父 father
• あに 兄 older brother
• あね 姉 older sister
• おとうと 弟 younger brother
• いもうと 妹 younger sister
• お ばあ 祖母 さんgrandmother
• お じい 祖父 さん grandfather
• お かあ 母 さんmother
• お とう 父 さん father
• お にい 兄 さん older brother
• お ねえ 姉 さん older sister
• おとうと 弟 さん younger brother
• いもうと 妹 さん younger sister

Words used in this grammar

Kanji used in this grammar.

Japan Essay

Article By: Isaac Goodman-Boyd

I loved Japan before I visited there– loved their video games, TV shows, martial arts, and amazing sword fights. But my only contact with Japan was through the Internet. Reading Japanese comic books (Manga) and watching Japanese cartoons (Anime) are my favorite pastime. So on Christmas day, when my parents gave me a book about Japanese culture, I was happy. When I opened the book and discovered the plane tickets inside, I was ecstatic.

In preparation for the trip, we took Japanese language lessons from a private tutor. By the time the trip rolled around I was eager to practice my new skills.

After landing in Narita airport, our first stop was the Zen Bed and Breakfast in Asakusa, Tokyo. My formal Japanese greeting impressed the owners. In the mornings, we had breakfast with them. I had never had rice and soup for breakfast before. Being a very picky eater, I rarely try anything new. But in Japan, I was determined to try everything. These home cooked breakfasts were the best meals we had on our trip.

In Tokyo, we visited the Imperial Palace. We were only allowed in the public garden but that was enough because it is as big as my neighborhood.

In Akihabara (Electric Town), we went to several arcades to see the latest in video games. My brother and I love these games and we’re pretty good.  But we were nothing compared to the insane skill of the Japanese. The weird thing was, most everyone there were adults. My brother and I, two teenagers, were the youngest there.

After Tokyo, we went to Kyoto and stayed in our own town house called a Machaya (old merchants house.) The home was decorated in traditional Japanese fashion. My absolute favorite thing in the house was the bath. This room had a small deep tub, a shower next to it and a drain in the floor. Press a button and the tub automatically fills with hot water. I would shower with soap and cold water, then slowly lower myself into the boiling liquid. Any stress I ever had in my life seemed to melt away.

In Kyoto, we went to Chion-in Temple, which today is the headquarters for the J ` odo school of Buddhism. We passed through the San-mon, a Buddhist temple gate at the main entrance. This is the largest temple gate in Japan but even that couldn’t prepare me for the scale of Chion-in. Meditating in the public prayer space, I thought about how small I am compared to this enormous structure.

Before we knew it, we were back in Tokyo scrambling to see as many sights as we could on our final day. We woke at five A.M. to go to the fish market. My father and I took pictures of the largest fish we had ever seen while my mother and brother ate sushi. Despite my vow to try everything, I couldn’t bring myself to eat raw fish at six in the morning.

After the market, we went to Shibuya (a Tokyo Times Square). My brother went to another arcade while I tried to get my last fill of Japan. The streets were really crowed (Tokyo is very crowed). Despite this, no one was ever rude or angry. Even to American tourists who didn’t know where they were going.

I used to love Japan for its Anime and video games but now I feel a connection to its ancient culture and current society. I look forward to returning when I’m in college. 

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2 Replies to “Japan Essay”

I loved Japan before I visited there– loved their video games, TV shows, martial arts, and amazing sword fights. But my only contact with Japan was through the Internet. Reading Japanese comic books (Manga) and watching Japanese cartoons (Anime) are my favorite pastime. So on Christmas day, when my parents gave me a book about Japanese culture, I was happy. When I opened the book and discovered the plane tickets inside, I was ecstatic.

ok it was funny not like a formal article

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• English (US)

How do you say this in Japanese? I love my family! (in hiragana/katakana) See a translation

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わたしは、わたしのかぞくがだいすきです！

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かぞくがだいすきです！ カゾクガダイスキデス！

@catmilkr かぞくがだいすきです!

@catmilkr かぞくあいしてる 家族愛してる

@catmilkr わたしは　わたしのかぞくをあいしています。 We Japanese do not use " love " normally. So we say "like very much" as follo. わたしは　わたしのかぞくが　だいすきです。 is natural.

わたしはじぶんのかぞくがだいすきです。

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