Hiragana
Japanese Name:
平仮名
Romaji Name:
hiragana
Description
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Hiragana is one of the three writing systems used in the Japanese language. It is a set of simple, curved characters that represent syllables, making it a phonetic script. Hiragana is mainly used for native Japanese words, grammatical elements, and words without kanji characters. It is often the first script that children learn and is essential for reading and writing in Japanese.
History
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Hiragana is a Japanese syllabary that originated during the Heian period (8th–9th centuries) as a simplified form of Chinese characters (kanji). It was initially used mainly by women for personal writing and literature, while men typically used kanji or the more formal kanbun system. Over time, hiragana became an essential part of the Japanese writing system, used alongside kanji and katakana. Today, it is fundamental for writing native Japanese words, grammatical elements, and children's education.