Learn the two Japanese kana scripts one row at a time. Pick the rows you are studying, check them on the chart, drill with flashcards, then test yourself by typing the romaji or choosing the right kana against the clock. Missed kana are collected for review and your progress is saved in your browser.
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Click a kana to hear it (if your device has a Japanese voice). Colors show your progress: not practicedneeds workgetting theremastered
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How to use the Hiragana and Katakana Quiz
Choose a script: Hiragana, Katakana or Both.
Select the rows you are learning, for example あ, か and さ, or press Basic 46 for the full basic set.
Study on the Chart or with Flashcards. Flip a card, then mark whether you knew it.
Take the Typing quiz: type the romaji for each kana. Right answers advance automatically; after a wrong one, press Enter to continue.
Review your mistakes at the end and press Practice my mistakes until every kana turns green on the chart.
Hiragana and katakana at a glance
Hiragana ひらがな
Katakana カタカナ
Look
Rounded, flowing strokes
Straight, angular strokes
Main uses
Grammar endings, particles, native words, furigana reading aids
Loanwords, foreign names, emphasis, sound effects, some plant and animal names
Example
さくら (sakura, cherry blossom)
コーヒー (kōhī, coffee)
Long vowels
Written with an extra vowel: おかあさん
Usually written with a dash ー: ケーキ
Look-alike kana to watch
These pairs cause most mistakes. The multiple-choice mode deliberately mixes them in as wrong answers.
Pair
Readings
How to tell them apart
シ / ツ
shi / tsu
シ's short strokes are stacked on the left and its long stroke sweeps up from the bottom; ツ's short strokes sit side by side along the top and its long stroke sweeps down.
ソ / ン
so / n
ソ's two strokes both start at the top; ン's dot is on the left and its last stroke rises from the bottom.
さ / ち
sa / chi
Near mirror images: the lower curve of さ bulges to the left, the lower curve of ち bulges to the right.
ぬ / め
nu / me
ぬ ends in a small loop; め does not.
ね / れ / わ
ne / re / wa
Same left stroke; ね ends in a loop, れ kicks out to the right, わ curves back down.
る / ろ
ru / ro
る has a loop at the bottom; ろ is open.
ク / タ / ケ
ku / ta / ke
タ adds a short stroke inside ク; ケ has a separate horizontal stroke that ends in a long downward sweep.
Tips for learning kana fast
Study one or two rows at a time. Add a new row only when the current ones turn green on the chart.
Read before you write. Recognizing kana quickly comes first; handwriting practice reinforces it.
Use sprints for speed. Reading Japanese needs instant recognition, so once you are accurate, aim to raise your 60-second score.
Learn the patterns. Dakuten rows reuse shapes you already know, and combinations are just an i-column kana plus a small ゃ, ゅ or ょ.
Review mistakes the next day. Short gaps between reviews help kana move into long-term memory.
Frequently asked questions
How many hiragana and katakana are there?
Each script has 46 basic characters (the gojūon chart). Adding the dakuten and handakuten marks gives 25 more voiced sounds such as が, ざ, だ, ば and ぱ, and small ゃ, ゅ and ょ create 33 common combinations such as きゃ and しょ. Katakana mirrors hiragana sound for sound, so learning one makes the other easier.
Should I learn hiragana or katakana first?
Most courses start with hiragana, because it is used for grammar endings, particles and many everyday words, and children's books are written mostly in it. Katakana is used for foreign loanwords, names from other languages, emphasis and many sound words, so it is usually learned right after.
Which romaji spellings does the quiz accept?
The quiz uses Hepburn romanization (shi, chi, tsu, fu, ji) as the main answer and also accepts the Kunrei and keyboard spellings si, ti, tu, hu and zi. を accepts wo or o, ん accepts n, nn or n', ぢ accepts ji or di, and づ accepts zu or du.
Why does を sound like o, and は sometimes like wa?
In modern Japanese を is pronounced o and is used almost only as the object particle. When は and へ are used as particles they are read wa and e, even though the characters themselves are ha and he. This quiz tests the characters' standard readings: は = ha, へ = he, を = wo/o.
What do the dakuten and handakuten marks do?
The two small strokes ゛ (dakuten) voice the consonant: k becomes g, s becomes z, t becomes d and h becomes b, as in か → が. The small circle ゜ (handakuten) turns h into p, as in は → ぱ. Select the dakuten rows to include them in your practice.
How long does it take to learn kana?
It varies, but many learners can read the 46 basic hiragana after one to two weeks of short daily practice, and katakana in a similar time. Studying a few rows at a time and reviewing mistakes the next day works better than trying all of them at once.
How is my progress saved?
Every answer updates a small score for that kana, stored only in your browser. A kana turns green on the chart once you have answered it correctly at least three times with 85% accuracy. Use Reset progress to start over.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.