Know All about the Japanese character: Hiragana
When we were younger, our parents would gradually teach us the English alphabet until we could do it on our own. We now have the ability to learn Japanese Hiragana and other languages by enrolling in a language school.
Learning Japanese kanji may be interesting since you can see how much effort the natives put into producing those letters. If you want to study the Japanese language, the greatest thing you can do is enroll in a school that teaches everything about it, including its culture.
In this section, I will go over Hiragana in greater detail. So, make sure you read all the way to the conclusion.
Contents
The Japanese Writing System
As we all know, Japan has a highly distinct and varied culture. It may be an authentic culture or a blend of cultures from several different nations. Therefore, you must have the attitude and time to study the language.
The two types of characters used in the Japanese writing system are kanji, which are Chinese characters that were adopted, and the syllabic kana, which include Hiragana and katakana. Each is required for Japanese writing and has certain functions, uses, and traits.
Hiragana, kanji, and sometimes katakana are used in most Japanese sentences. The Japanese written language is regarded as one of the most challenging to understand due to the distinct nature of the two characters used—Hiragana and katakana—and their varied usage.
History of Hiragana
Man’yogana used Chinese characters for their pronunciations, was first used in the 5th century and gave rise to Hiragana. The Inariyama Sword, an iron sword discovered at the Inariyama Kofun, is one of the earliest examples of Man’yogana. It is believed that this sword was forged in the year C.E. 471.
The Hiragana’s shapes are derived from Chinese calligraphy’s cursive script. The illustration below illustrates the cursive script used to translate Hiragana from manyogana.
The character is displayed in three different script styles:
- The ordinary script in the upper portion
- The cursive script in the center
- Comparable Hiragana in the lower section
The shapes of the cursive script are not just limited to those depicted in the illustration.
When it was first developed, the Hiragana characters was not accepted by everyone. The educated or elites preferred to use only the kanji system.
In the past, males in Japan used the regular script (kaisho) version of the characters, which was referred to as “men’s writing,” while women used the cursive script (sosho). Because women were typically denied access to similar degrees of education as males, Hiragana first became widespread among palace women who wrote personal correspondence and literature.
This is where the alternate name “women’s writing” for onnade originates from. For instance, Hiragana was employed extensively or solely in The Tale of Genji and other early books written by women. Hiragana is still perceived as having a feminine aspect nowadays.
Writing in Hiragana was reserved for private correspondence such as letters, while writing in katakana and Chinese was reserved for official documents.
Traditional Iroha ordering and the more common goujon ordering are the two basic ways to order Hiragana.
What is Hiragana?
Hiragana is a Japanese character used by native Japanese and those who have mastered it. Hiragana, which translates as “ordinary” or “basic” kana, is largely used for native Japanese vocabulary and grammatical features.
There are 48 fundamental characters that all represent syllabaries, or 71 if diacritics are included. Each sound in Japanese corresponds to a single character in the syllabary. Enrolling in a language school usually starts with Hiragana before moving on to katakana and kanji.
Hiragana is also used for furigana or yomigana, which are reading aids for kanji that can be found next to or above the kanji. It will help you read kanji you may not know yet, such as Hiragana, which is used in preschool and children’s literature, as well as situations when it would be regarded as too formal for writing purposes another reason why language students should first master Hiragana.
Words with typical kanji renderings may be written in Hiragana instead, depending on an individual author’s inclination, for example, to convey a casual tone.
Where can You Learn Hiragana?
Numerous language schools in Singapore offer the best programs and courses. You should look for a school where you will feel at ease while you are still learning.
Make certain that the institution has the credentials to educate you on everything you require. To avoid being scammed online and in person, asking them about their certificates is necessary.
Final Thoughts
Learning a language can be difficult, particularly if the language is Japanese. However, if you are eager to study, it may be enjoyable and will undoubtedly help you in the future.
