If you have started learning Japanese or thinking about doing it soon, you might ask yourself: How long does it take to learn Japanese? It’s an honest question, and probably the most important. Between people’s fascination with Japanese culture and the desire to live in Japan, Japanese has become one of the most popular languages to learn – but also the hardest, too.

The answer to this question is, “it depends”. Understandably, no one likes to hear that — but it’s an honest answer because there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to how long it takes to learn Japanese. On a complete beginner-to-advanced scale, it takes around 180 to 1,2000 hours to learn Japanese. In reality, people with no prior kanji knowledge often take more time to learn Japanese thanthose who have.

In this response, we’ll explore the factors that can affect how long it takes to learn Japanese and provide estimates of how long it may take a beginner to become proficient.

Defining Fluency in Japanese Language Learning

To the majority, language fluency is a spectrum. You can talk to your Japanese friends in casual Japanese and call it fluent. You might think that to be one means being able to lead a meeting with your coworkers in full keigo.

A good rule of thumb is if you find yourself constantly translating between Japanese and your own native language and forming sentences quickly, you’d be hard-pressed to describe yourself as fluent. In its academic definition, made by Dr. Paul Nation and Asuza Yamamoto, fluency is ‘being able to receive and produce language at a reasonable rate’. You should ask yourself, “Am I at ease when I speak Japanese? Do I get constantly worried about the next question from my partner?”

On the other hand, this number begs the question: Can I call myself fluent if I can watch anime without subtitles? Can I talk to my Japanese friends without fillers like eto or ano? Or write a foolproof business email to your Japanese boss?

Remember that there’s more to communication than speaking and listening! Japanese language fluency also includes four aspects: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. You may be excellent at conversing in Japanese, but barely able to write a single kanji.

So depending on how you define fluency, you might get to that point faster or slower! And don’t worry: we’ve broken down the study hours based on your goal and the desired level below. 

How Long Does it Take to Learn Japanese Based on Your Goal?

The FSI of the US State Department estimates that it takes 88 weeks, or 2,200 study hours, to reach what most people define as Japanese fluency. This is probably a fairer assessment than saying it takes 2 years to speak Japanese. The more hours you put into practicing Japanese in a day or stay consistent throughout the week, the faster you’ll learn.

Ultimately, achieving a high level in Japanese takes time, as with other languages. A lot of people who live in Japan and studied the language for years might still say they have a long way to go, so you can’t expect instant results in a matter of weeks. 

As a reference, we’ve broken down how long it takes to learn Japanese based on what you’re using the language for. Depending on your goal, you might want to focus on one language aspect (like speaking) more than the other. 

Goal	How you’ll use Japanese	Study Hours
Travel	Ask for directions, order food, and make basic greetings.	7 – 30 days
Make friends	Daily conversations, expressing thoughts and opinions, holding natural conversations in a wider range of circumstances.	900-1,300 study hours (6 months – 1 year)
Work part-time job in Japan	Speak basic keigo to customers, interact with Japanese coworkers	900-1,300 study hours (6 months – 1 year)
Get a job in Japan	Take the EJU (Japanese entrance examination) and JLPT (N2 or N1), take Japanese tests, and make a presentation	2,000 – 4,000 study hours (2 years)
Go to university	Take the EJU (Japanese entrance examination, and JLPT (N2 or N1), take Japanese tests, make a presentation	Use keigo (Japanese honorifics), business Japanese, manners, and cultural awareness, JLPT (N2 or N1)

How Many Hours a Day Should You Study Japanese

You might notice we’ve been using “study hours” instead of exact days or months, which can be frustrating if you want a straightforward answer on how long it takes to learn Japanese. 

Days and months can vary in length and can be influenced by external factors, such as holidays or personal schedules, making it difficult to accurately track progress. There are people who might study 30 minutes a day. Some dedicate 3 hours a day, while a few people spend 6-7 hours studying full-time. This isn’t the best standardized unit of time.

If you are learning as a hobby, dedicating 15 to 30 minutes a day to studying is fine. In 6 months, you’ll be able to read basic texts and hold limited conversations. 

Most people recommend studying for 3 to 4 hours every day on a set schedule, which allows your brain to work at its full capacity and avoid burnout. Even intensive courses at Coto Academy and Japanese language classes at other Japanese language schools only have 3-hour classes on weekdays. 

So if you think studying 9 hours a day to achieve the “study hour goal” is a good idea, think again! You’ll most likely experience burnout and have trouble holding onto the information that you have learned.

How Long it Takes to Learn Japanese: Beginner

When we think of Japanese levels, we tend to associate it with JLPT, or the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, as the ultimate benchmark for how much Japanese you know. Beginner-level Japanese ranges from JLPT N5 (beginner) to N4 (upper beginner). 

According to the official JLPT administrator, JLPT N5 and N4 “prove your ability to understand some basic Japanese.” You should be able to listen and comprehend conversations about daily life and classroom situations — provided that they are spoken slowly.

Reading-wise, this means you’re already familiar with daily topics written in basic vocabulary and kanji.

For students with kanji knowledge, it takes 350 study hours to pass JLPT N5, and 462 hours if you have no prior kanji knowledge. For JLPT N4, it will take 550 hours and 787 hours under the same conditions.

Keep in mind that the JLPT does not test your conversational skills, so while your written Japanese skills are good, this doesn’t necessarily reflect your practical fluency during day-to-day conversations.

If you want to learn the most basic kanji and have no prior experience with Japanese, it should take you around a month. This is if you learn 10 kanji a day every day. 

How Long it Takes to Learn Japanese: Intermediate 

Japanese intermediate level is around JLPT N3, which can take 900 – 1,500 study hours to get to. Many Japanese learners are at this level, and you should be able to get a part-time job at this point. You are able to get around Japan with ease, and while you may still encounter difficulties in understanding and expressing certain ideas, you should be able to engage in conversations on a wide range of topics with a degree of fluency and accuracy.

Typically, studying for JLPT N3 takes about 6 months to one year, depending on how many hours you dedicate each day and how hard you commit to your study plan. 

Around N3, you should already know around 650 kanji, which can take anywhere from 2 months to four months if you learn 5-10 kanji each day. 

How Long it Takes to Learn Japanese: Advanced 

In order to get a high level of Japanese proficiency for work, you’ll want to achieve JLPT N1 and have sufficient written and spoken ability to effectively communicate in various settings, such as in-person interactions, emails, presentations, and meetings, with a mastery of the formal Japanese register (keigo). Acquiring the JLPT N2 or N1 certification can take anywhere from 2,200 hours to 3,900 hours of study, which would require at least 2 years of full-time study. Even after obtaining an N1 certification, many learners continue to study more kanji and vocabulary to further improve their proficiency.

You can achieve the same advanced level in 3-5 years of learning Japanese part-time. This is when you can get jobs that require native-level Japanese skills, like interpreters, translators, customer service, and Japanese teachers. 

In most cases, the amount of exposure to the Japanese language and culture plays a big part in truly reaching an advanced level. At this point, it’s not just about knowing a lot of grammar points, vocabulary, or kanji; it’s also about understanding the culture and context in which the language is used.

Ways to Speed up Japanese Learning

Most of us have different learning preferences, like taking notes, using visuals or graphics, or speaking words out loud. There are numerous ways to acquire proficiency in Japanese, but selecting the most effective method for yourself will enable you to enhance your learning speed and quality. Here are a few tips we always recommend to those who are starting to learn Japanese.

1. Find a language partner

Studying alone can be boring unless you’re an introvert. Not only does it provide an opportunity to practice speaking and listening in a natural setting, but it also offers insight into Japanese culture, values, and customs. Interacting with native speakers can expose you to a variety of regional dialects, idiomatic expressions, and slang that are not commonly found in textbooks or language courses. Moreover, it allows you to receive immediate feedback on your language usage, pronunciation, and grammar, which is invaluable in accelerating your language acquisition.

Engaging in conversations with Japanese friends or exchange partners can also make language learning more enjoyable, provide new social connections, and lead to a deeper understanding and appreciation of Japanese culture. We recommend checking out our curated list of Japanese language exchange apps and where to find language exchange events.

2. Study Japanese in Japan for Total Immersion

This one is probably obvious, but hear us out: you learn Japanese most effectively when you’re studying the language in Japan — or at least when you are constantly exposed to Japanese culture. Besides, what better way to reward yourself for your hard work than to visit a country we all love?

Immersing yourself in Japanese culture and making friends with native speakers can be almost impossible outside Japan. Being in Japan will boost your progress considerably. You’re conditioned to always use Japanese, and you’ll inevitably hear Japanese words and phrases every day. 

3. Define your motivation and goal

Want to learn Japanese as a hobby? Find new job opportunities in Japan from overseas? Watch your favorite anime. It’s good to define your goal in learning Japanese for a couple of reasons; the first being that these goals are your motivators. A lot of people lose interest in learning Japanese because it gets too hard or boring. Knowing why you want to study in the first place helps you to keep the traction going.

Second, and probably more importantly, it helps you identify which language element you need to focus on. Learning Japanese to take the JLPT for university entrance? You should do a well-balanced study plan covering listening, speaking, reading, and vocabulary. Want to be able to make small talk? Try to do more conversation practice instead.

4. Use a mix of Japanese study materials

Perhaps you’re an auditory learner. Or maybe you notice you hate using textbooks. No matter what kind of Japanese learner you are, studying Japanese can be more effective when you’re genuinely enjoying it — or even making it fun!

And the good news is, you can learn from things you already enjoy in Japanese. For example, if you like playing video games, you can switch the language to Japanese, especially with games like Pokémon, where the language is simple and easy to change when starting a new game.

Enjoy reading manga? Challenge yourself to read a bit each day in Japanese, and as you progress, it will become easier. Additionally, watching your favorite shows in Japanese, like anime series or Terrace House on Netflix, is a fun way to pick up new vocabulary and slang. Initially, try watching without subtitles and actively listening, taking notes, and then watching again with subtitles on to see what you understood and learned.

We have a huge list of articles dedicated to different learning resources: Anki, podcasts, YouTube, TikToks and TV shows, so check them out on our blog!

5. Join a Japanese course

It’s important not to overlook the significance of getting the right professional support and establishing a study routine. This is where taking a Japanese course comes in.

One of the main benefits of taking a Japanese class is having access to a qualified instructor who can answer questions, provide feedback, and offer guidance tailored to your individual needs. Additionally, studying with a group of peers can create a sense of accountability and motivation, as well as the opportunity to practice speaking and listening skills with others.

If you’re considering taking a Japanese class, we recommend checking out Coto Academy. They offer a wide range of courses, from beginner to advanced levels, taught by experienced and knowledgeable instructors. Their curriculum is designed to be engaging and interactive, and they use a variety of teaching methods to cater to different learning styles. Additionally, their flexible scheduling options and online classes make it easy to fit language learning into your busy schedule.

Contact Us and Start Learning Japanese!

Conclusion

Learning to speak Japanese involves many factors, but by developing good study habits, managing your time effectively, and staying committed, you can become conversational in a few months. This may come as a surprise, as you may have had different expectations about the process of learning Japanese.

It’s important to find joy and a sense of satisfaction throughout your journey, not just at the end goal. Celebrate each small accomplishment along the way and try not to focus too much on how far you still have to go. One day, you’ll be glad that you persevered and didn’t give up!

Want to learn Japanese? Join the No. 1 language school in Tokyo, Coto Academy!

If you want to start learning Japanese, consider starting at a top language school like Coto Academy. At Coto, you’ll gradually ease into both the Japanese language and culture, learning real Japanese as it’s spoken in everyday life.

We offer both part-time and intensive courses across four campuses in Tokyo and Yokohama. We also have interactive online lessons so you can learn Japanese wherever you are.

Our classes are small — just 8 students per room — so you’ll enjoy plenty of speaking practice, personalized attention, and a curriculum tailored to your goals. Whether you want to sharpen your business Japanese, prepare for the JLPT, or become more confident in daily conversations, we’ll create a learning plan that works for you.

Ready to begin? Fill out the form below for a free level check, book a free consultation, or chat with our team to find your best path to fluency.

If you’re interested in learning more about Japan and exploring offline or online Japanese lessons, be sure to visit the Coto Academy website! Fill out the form below for a free level check and course consultation!

How long does it take to learn Japanese for beginners?

The FSI of the US State Department estimates that it takes 88 weeks, or 2,200 study hours, to reach what most people define as Japanese fluency. However, the amount of time it takes to learn Japanese for beginners depends on various factors, such as how often and how long you study, the quality of your study materials, your motivation, and your natural ability to learn languages.

How many hours a day should I study Japanese to become fluent?

The number of hours a day you need to study Japanese to become fluent depends on your personal goals, your current level of proficiency, and your preferred learning style. Generally, it’s recommended to study at least 1-2 hours a day, every day, to make steady progress. As a reference, intensive Japanese courses typically 3 hours a day. Studying 6 hours or more in a day may lead to burnout.

Can I become fluent in Japanese in six months?

While it’s possible to make significant progress in six months of intensive study, becoming fully fluent in Japanese within such a short period is unlikely. Achieving fluency in Japanese requires a deep understanding of the language, which takes time to develop. You can achieve conversational fluency in six months.

How long does it take to pass the JLPT N5, N4, N3, N2 or N1 level?

On average, it takes 6 months to 1 year of dedicated study to pass each level of the JLPT. However, some people may take longer or shorter depending on their individual circumstances.

Can I learn Japanese faster with a tutor or language exchange partner?

Working with a tutor or language exchange partner can help you learn Japanese faster and more effectively. A tutor can provide personalized instruction and feedback, while a language exchange partner can offer opportunities to practice speaking and listening skills with a native speaker.

How long does it take to learn Japanese kanji?

On average, it takes about 2-3 years of consistent study to master the basic set of 2,136 Joyo kanji (commonly used characters in Japan).

Can I learn Japanese on my own without a teacher?

Yes, it’s possible to learn Japanese on your own without a teacher. However, self-study requires a lot of discipline, motivation, and the right resources. You’ll need to find quality textbooks, online resources, and study materials, and you’ll need to develop a consistent study routine to make progress.

Is it difficult to learn Japanese compared to other languages?

Japanese is considered to be a logical and consistent language with a relatively simple sound system, but it’s considered one of the hardest languages to learn for English speakers. FSI considered Japanese a “super-hard language”, categorizing it in the same group as Arabic, Korean, Mandarin, and Cantonese.

Ever wanted to learn some Japanese swear words? Unlike English, profanity in Japan is often less about the literal meaning of a swear word and more about the tone and delivery. Still, much like in any language exchange, the topic of “what are the swear words in your language?” inevitably comes up — and Japanese is no exception. While Japan is often imagined as an extremely polite and quiet country, with its keigo and culture of respect, behind that veneer lies a rich and surprisingly fierce array of Japanese profanity.

Japanese swear words are super fun to learn, especially if you’ve got a good basis of Japanese under your belt. It is one of the things you need to know to avoid saying them, too.

That is to say, don’t really swear in public, or in general. Still, these are fun Japanese swear words to know, and we can’t blame you for wanting to learn. And it’s not like you can never say these. Around your friends, go for it, but with someone you don’t really know, maybe watch your tongue. Here, we will cover as many Japanese swear words as we can!

Do Japanese People Curse in General?

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Japanese people do curse, but they do it a bit differently from English speakers. For one thing, Japanese “cursing” often relies more on tone of voice than on specific swear words. Japanese profanity does not usually involve direct equivalents of English f-words; instead, the perceived offensiveness depends heavily on tone, intonation, and the situation in which a phrase is used.

For example, the phrase 何見てんだよ (nani mitenda yo) can simply mean “What are you looking at?” when said in a neutral tone. However, if it is delivered harshly and aggressively — 何見てんだよ！— it can come across more like “What the hell are you looking at?” in English.

Difference Between American and Japanese Swearing Culture

American swearing centers on a specific list of words considered inherently vulgar regardless of grammar or tone: religious terms (damn, hell), bodily/sexual terms (a small set of well-known words), etc. Another thing is that sexual and bodily-function words aren’t the main axis of profanity like they are in English. There’s no real Japanese equivalent to F-bombs used as intensifiers or filler.

Get used flexibly as intensifiers, filler, or even affectionate slang

Japanese “rudeness” is largely relational and grammatical, tied to who’s speaking to whom and what social distance is implied. English profanity is largely lexical, a closed set of words carrying taboo force independent of relationship or grammar. This is part of why translating swearing between the two is notoriously hard: an American movie full of F-bombs used as filler doesn’t have a clean Japanese equivalent, so subtitlers usually shift the coarseness into pronoun choice and blunt sentence endings instead.

For example, an angry American might say: “Get the hell out of my house, you son of a b**ch!” using taboo words for force.

An angry Japanese speaker might say: “お前、出てけ!” (Omae, detoke!), which roughly means, “You, get out!” This uses a blunt pronoun and command form, no taboo word required, but landing just as harshly given the context.

Japanese Swear Words You Should Not Use

1. 馬鹿 (Baka): Stupid

The Japanese word baka (ばか) basically means “fool” or”idiot”. Depending on the tone and situation, it can range from a playful “dummy” to a harsh insult that stings.

The kanji is 馬鹿. 馬, meaning “horse” (uma), and 鹿, which means “deer” (shika). You might also see it written in katakana as バカ.

お前はバカなの？
Omae wa baka na no?
Are you stupid?

2. アホ (Aho): Stupid

Aho means idiot or stupid. If you watch a lot of anime, you probably know another way to call someone an idiot, 馬鹿 (aka), so what’s the difference between the two? While the two share the same meaning, アホ is more commonly used in the Kansai region, where it can range from playful teasing to outright insults, while 馬鹿 is used more in the Kanto region. Funnily enough, this results in either being more offensive in the region they’re used less.

In contrast, in the Kanto region, アホ feels harsher, and 馬鹿 is the preferred term for calling someone stupid.

お前、アホちゃう？
Omae, aho chau?
Are you an idiot?

3. ブス (Busu): Ugly Woman

Busu is an extremely ugly woman, and it is used specifically for women to insult their physical appearance; it’s a cruel and offensive term. It’s not the word you should use to a stranger — unless you want to crush their self-esteem.

It’s a demeaning term, so even if you intend to joke around, consider how people might feel about it.

The male version of ブス (Busu) is ブ男 (Buotoko). When someone mutters “busu” or “buotoko” under their breath, you’ll know the meaning and possibly how to react.

お前、ブスだよ。
Omae, busu da yo.
You’re ugly

4. 畜生 (Chikusho): Damn It!

Chikushou (ちくしょう) is an exclamation usually used out of frustration. It’s similar to saying “Damn!” or “Damn it!” in English. Sometimes, the translation goes, “For Christ’s sake!” It also has meaning outside of as an exclamation, that being “Beast” or “Brute”.

You don’t direct this Japanese swear word to someone. Rather, you use it when facing an unfortunate event or anything remotely inconvenient.

ちくしょう、パンクだ！
Chikushou, panku da!
Damn it! I’ve got a flat (tire)!

5. 黙れ (Damare): Shut up!

Like the phrase うるさい (Urusai), damare is used to say “Shut up!” The word stems from the Japanese verb 黙る (damaru), which means “to be quiet.” However, this is the Japanese command form used to express strong orders or demands.

Unlike using ください (kudasai) or お願いします (onegaishimasu), which are closer to a request or soft demand, this command form is not exactly polite.

This Japanese swear word is often interchangeable with うるさい (urusai), but they mean two different things, with the same implication. うるさい is a Japanese adjective that means “noisy.”

If you hear someone say this, it’s more to passively shut someone up: “You’re noisy! (So shut up)!” They will typically take it as a sign to tone it down.

だまれ, on the other hand, is much more of a command, so it is much more impolite to use it.

だまれ、このやろう！
Damare, kono yarou!
Shut up, you bastard!

6. どけ (Doke): Get out of my way!

Similar to だまれ, どけ (doke) is a Japanese command form from the verb どく, which means to step aside or move out of the way. When you’re pissed off and have to make people move out of your path, you might lash out and say, “Get out of my way!”

It’s an extremely rude way of ‘asking’ someone to make way for you, and you shouldn’t use it in normal circumstances — like when you’re trying to get out of a packed train car.

どけ、邪魔だよ！
Doke, jama da yo!
Move, you’re in my way!

7. ふざけるな (Fuzakeru na): Don’t Mess With Me!

Any Japanese verb with a “na” な on the end is usually taken as an aggressive negative command of “don’t”.

ふざけるな comes from the phrase ふざける (fuzakeru), meaning to mess around. When used with な, it becomes a negative command, telling someone to stop messing around. It has since been translated to mean either “Stop messing around/with me”, or the more direct “Screw off”. The more casual version of this is the shortened ふざけんあ (Fuzakenna), often used in anime or informal settings.

ふざけるな、マジで！
Fuzakeru na, maji de!
Don’t mess with me, seriously!

8. うざい (Uzai): Annoying!

The word うざい, stylized as ウザイ (uzai), is short for うるさい (urusai), which means “noisy”, and うざったい, which means “annoying”. If you’re the type who gets annoyed at the slightest public disturbance, you can use this for a not-so-subtle diss.

Think of this word as the English equivalent of saying that someone is being a pain in the ass.

If you want to stress the swear word more, you can end the word ウザイ (uzai) with a long ‘e’: ウゼェー (uzee)!

田中先生がウザくない？
Tanaka-sensei ga uzakunai?
Isn’t Tanaka-sensei a pain in the ass?

9. クソ (Kuso): Shit!

Kuso means “Poo”. Much like chikushou, it is used as an exclamation out of anger. While it can be used independently, it also sees a lot of use with other words. In these cases, it is used as an adjective. For example クソガキ (kusogaki), meaning “Shitty brat”.

クソ！なんでこうなるんだ？
Kuso! Nande kou narun da?
Shit! Why does this always happen?

10. お前 (Omae): You

These are both very rude ways of saying “you” in Japanese. In anime, particularly the shounen genre, male characters may use this second-person pronoun. It’s often translated as “bastard”, but most people wouldn’t really say it in real life.

This is similar to another word not on this list 貴様 (きさま), another rude way of saying “You,” which is commonly used in anime but never in real life.

Omae can be considered a rude way to refer to someone. It used to be considered honorific, but that was a long time ago. Of course, real life is not like anime, so try not to use it with just anyone.

お前が言うな.
Omae ga iu na.
Look who’s talking.

11. 手前 (てめえ/Temee): You (Bastard)

Not necessarily a Japanese swear word, but it is a very rude word that is hardly used by anyone in real life, though it can be commonly found in Japanese media like manga and anime.

Fictional characters use it to address others when they are angry, as it is considered less rude than in real life.  

手前、何様のつもりだ？
Temee, nani-sama no tsumori da?
Who do you think you are, bastard?

12. 死ねえ (Shinee): Go Die!

Another swear word very popular in anime, しねえ means ”Die!” or “Go die!” Can’t get much worse than that. Of course, because it’s so commonly used, it’s kind of lost its severity, making it a fun word to throw around among friends.

Again, make sure not to use it against anyone you don’t know too well.

死ねえ、もう我慢できない！
Shinee, mou gaman dekinai!
Die, I can’t take it anymore!

13. やろう (Yarou)

Yarou technically just means ”Guy” (gender). It’s commonly used towards men and as a way to refer to someone.

As a Japanese swear word, it usually doesn’t stand alone. Rather, you’ll pair it with other words like baka or kuso. ばかやろう(baka yarou). You should not use やろう (yarou) to address women, as the usage would be wrong.

だまれこのやろう 
Damare konoyarou
Shut up you bastard!

14. くたばれ (Kutabare): Drop Dead / Go to Hell

This is one of the stronger insults in Japanese, used to express extreme anger. It’s far more intense than common words like baka (idiot) or damare (shut up). This phrase isn’t something you’d hear in everyday conversation but might appear during heated arguments or in dramatic movie scenes. Its use is rare, but when it’s said, the intention is clear: the speaker is furious.

It’s used only in extreme situations, usually when someone loses control and wants to lash out verbally.

くたばれ、この野郎！ 
Kutabare, kono yarou!
Go to hell, you bastard!

15. ばばあ (Babaa) / じじい (Jijii): Grumpy Old Woman / Cranky Old Man

These words are used to insult older people, with babaa directed at women and jijii at men. In a culture where elders are usually treated with respect, using these words can be particularly offensive. While they might be used jokingly in anime or manga, in real life, they’re more likely to upset or insult someone.

Often spoken in frustration or anger. These words are also common in fictional works to portray rude or rebellious characters.If you’re a fan of Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away, you might recognize the character Yubaba. Her name cleverly incorporates ばば (baba), which is a nod to ばばあ (babaa), meaning “old woman.” While it’s not intended as an insult in the film, her personality, stern, controlling, and a bit unpleasant, ties into the connotations of the word. This is an example of how language can be used creatively in storytelling without the usual negative implications

16. カス (Kasu): Scum / Worthless Person

Kasu is a deeply insulting term that likens someone to residue or waste, which is its literal meaning. It’s often used to demean someone’s character, implying they have no value. This word is not just offensive; it carries a lot of weight when spoken, so it’s best avoided altogether.

Usually heard in heated arguments, where emotions run high, and the speaker intends to seriously insult someone.

あのばばあ、また文句ばかり言ってるよ。 
Ano babaa, mata monku bakari itteru yo.
That old hag is complaining again.

17. ボケ (Boke): Fool

Boke (ボケ) means “fool” or “idiot.” It’s often used humorously in conversations, but it can also come off as an insult depending on the tone.
In a more casual sense, it’s often paired with other words, like ボケナス (bokenasu), which means “stupid eggplant.”

お前、ボケてんの？ 
Omae, boketen no?
Are you being stupid?

18. くさい (Kusai): Smelly

Kusai (くさい) means “smelly” or “stinky.” It can be used to describe something that literally smells bad or as an insult to say someone reeks.
This term can also imply someone has a figurative stench, like being shady or suspicious.

お前、くさすぎるよ！ 
Omae, kusa sugiru yo!
You stink too much!

19. きもい (Kimoi): Gross

Kimoi (きもい) is slang for “gross” or “creepy.” It’s short for 気持ち悪い (kimochi warui), meaning “disgusting.”
This word is often used casually among friends, but can be offensive depending on the context.

あいつ、本当にきもいね。
Aitsu, hontou ni kimoi ne.
That guy is really gross.

20.   ハゲ (Hage): Baldy

This word is mostly used as a jab at men, hitting a sensitive spot — after all, few people like having their receding hairline or thinning crown pointed out. ハゲ literally means “bald” or “bald person.” It can sometimes be funny or teasing, but depending on how you use it, it can easily come off as offensive.

Fun fact: ハゲ can also be a verb. The verb ハゲる (hageru) means “to go bald” or “to become bald.”

彼はハゲてる
Kare wa hageteru
He is bald. 

21. あばずれ (Abazure): Bitch

If you’ve ever heard the word あばずれ (abazure) in Japanese, you might want to brace yourself — it’s not exactly a compliment. This term is a pretty harsh insult, usually directed at women, implying that they’re shameless, immoral, or just plain wild. 

Fun fact: The word can technically apply to men, too, but these days, it’s mostly aimed at women. Historically, it had a broader meaning, but the modern use is definitely more pointed.

22. クズ男 (Kuzu Otoko): Scumbag

Kuzu otoko (クズ男) translates to “scumbag man” in Japanese. The word kuzu literally means “trash” or “worthless,” and typically this label is reserved for guys who treated girls poorly in the dating scene.

For example, a kuzu otoko could be the guy you go on a date with who “accidentally” forgets his wallet. He absolutely loves women — a little too much. He has a tendency to cheat. Another common trait is that he spends money recklessly. He often gets himself into financial trouble, such as gambling. It’s one thing if he gambles with his own money, but he might end up in debt. He may also borrow money from friends and never pay it back.

23. クソジジイ (Kuso Jijii): Shitty Old Man

The word jiji is slang for an older Japanese man. It’s written as “爺” or “ジジイ.” Its original meaning is “elderly man” or “grandfather,” but usually it’s understood more like “old geezer.”

Kuso jijii (クソジジイ) is a much stronger insult. The word kuso means “shit” or “damn,” so the phrase emphasizes disgust or anger. It is commonly used to describe a mean, stubborn, or ill-behaved elderly man.

“Kuso jiji” (shitty old man) is a much stronger insult. Adding kuso (which means “shit” or “damn”) makes it more aggressive. It’s commonly used to describe a mean, stubborn, or badly behaved elderly man.

Weirdly enough, in very specific situations, kuso jiji can be used in a humorous or affectionate way — but only if you’ve known the person for a long time and things are super casual between you. For example, imagine you’ve had the same old neighbor for 20 years. He’s always outside watering his plants and complaining about how “things were better back in the day.” But at the same time, he gives you vegetables from his garden and keeps an eye on your house when you’re away.

One day, he starts grumbling because you came home late again and made noise with your car. You laugh and say, “You’re still spying on the whole street, huh, you kuso jiji?” In that kind of long-term, joking relationship where there’s mutual understanding, it can come off as playful teasing. If you said it to a random elderly man, though, it would be seriously rude.

Do you need to learn Japanese curse words?

At the end of the day, Japanese swear words are a normal part of the culture, much like in any other country. But if you don’t plan on ever using them, why bother learning them?

1. Know it to understand 

The most straightforward reason: learning Japanese swear words helps you actually understand them, so you won’t be caught off guard. Imagine someone calls you something in Japanese that sounds like a curse, and you have no idea what it means. You’ll look completely clueless.

2. Avoid offending people

If you spend a lot of time watching anime or reading manga aimed at adults, it’s easy to pick up words without realizing their strength. Knowing what’s considered rude keeps you from unintentionally offending others.

3. Understand Japanese culture more

Many Japanese swear words are tied to physical traits — being old, bald, overweight, or smelly — and reflect cultural attitudes. Learning them gives insight into how Japanese people express insult, humor, and social judgment.

If you want to learn Japanese, contact the friendly team at Coto Academy and we will recommend you the best class and campus!

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How You Can Be Offensive in Japan Without Even Meaning It

Japanese culture is rooted in indirect communication, where the “true” meaning is often found between the lines. For students of the language, this creates a hidden minefield. Even if you never utter a single explicit swear word, the intentional (or accidental) misuse of social cues can be just as offensive to a Japanese listener as a string of profanities.

Here are the two most common ways learners accidentally cause offense:

1. Using “Anata”

In English, “you” is a functional, neutral pronoun. In Japanese, however, the word anata (あなた) carries a heavy weight. Why? Because Japanese relies on pronoun avoidance, “you” can feel confrontational, sounding more like an accusation than a simple address.

For example, imagine you want to see if a co-worker can help with an additional task. You walk over to their desk and, before making the request, you ask them what they are doing.

The English Thought: “What are you doing?” (Neutral)

あなたは、何をしていますか？
Anata wa, nani o shite imasu ka?
What are you doing?

To a native speaker, this doesn’t sound like a curious question. It sounds like a finger pointed at their chest. It carries the energy of: “And just what do you think you’re doing?” 

Work around this by softening the blow. In Japanese, it is always safer to use the person’s name with the right Japanese suffix or omit the subject entirely.

2. Using the wrong degree of formality

In Japanese, “profanity” isn’t always about using bad words, either. It’s often about the misuse of honorifics (keigo). Dropping into casual speech with a stranger or a superior is a linguistic way of signaling a total lack of respect.

This is particularly dangerous when you are still “socially blind” to the Japanese hierarchy. Imagine this scenario:

You are in the elevator with your company’s CEO. As the doors open, you accidentally bump into them. No physical harm is done, but you want to apologize quickly. You recently learned how to say “sorry” in your Japanese class, so you blurt out the first thing that comes to mind: “Gomen ne!” (ごめんね！)

In English, “Sorry!” works for almost anyone. But in Japanese, gomen ne is what you say to a very close friend. By saying this to your CEO, you have effectively “leveled” them to you or your junior. 

To avoid sounding shockingly rude, you should have used “Sumimasen” (すみません) or the even more formal, “moushiwake gozaimasen” (申し訳ございません).

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Learn the language as it’s really spoken, not just what’s in textbooks, and never get caught off guard again by joining our part-time or intensive Japanese lessons! If you’re ready to dive deeper into Japanese language and culture, why not take a class with us and learn the right way to express yourself?

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FAQ

How insulting is baka?

Baka means “fool” or “idiot,” and how insulting it is really depends on how and where it’s used. In casual, playful conversations, it’s often harmless, but if said with a harsh tone, it can definitely offend someone.

Is kuso a curse word?

Yes, kuso means “shit” and is considered a mild curse word. It’s often shouted when frustrated, like saying “damn it!” in English, or combined with other words for insults.

Is it rude to say oi in Japanese?

Yes, oi is a pretty rude way to get someone’s attention. It can come across as aggressive or impatient, so it’s not something you’d use in polite situations.

What is a rude word for “you” in Japanese?

Words like omae, temee, and kisama are all considered rude ways to say “you.” They’re mostly used in arguments or seen in anime and are not appropriate for polite settings.

Does the f-word exist in Japanese?

Not exactly. There isn’t a direct Japanese equivalent of the F-word, but phrases like kutabare (go to hell) or kuso (shit) come close in terms of intensity.

Is the middle finger rude in Japan?

Yes, the middle finger is considered rude in Japan, especially if it’s used in an aggressive or confrontational way. While it might not have the exact same cultural weight as in Western countries, it’s still seen as disrespectful, so it’s best to avoid using it.

What is yabai?

Yabai is a super versatile slang word. It can mean anything from “awesome” to “terrible” or even “risky,” depending on the tone and situation.

Why are there so many Japanese insults in anime?

Anime exaggerates language for drama or humor. A lot of these words are rarely used in real life, but they make characters stand out or add tension to stories.

How do you politely express frustration in Japanese?

Instead of swearing, you can say things like taihen (this is tough) or mou yappari (ugh, I knew it) to vent your feelings without offending anyone.

Read more:

• Anime phrases you should not use in Japanese
• 100 anime vocabulary to know

We’ve all had our fair share of awkward and embarrassing Japanese language mistakes. It usually goes like this: you brain-farted and blurted out something that resulted in snickers and a few raised eyebrows from nearby oji-sans. 

On a few occasions, it’s a killer icebreaker. On the other end, you risk offending your Japanese friends — or worse, your coworkers. 

Making language errors is a common theme and, in a way, a natural part of learning Japanese. After all, the Japanese language only has five vowel sounds. Due to this, a lot of words overlap each other. Phonetic sure is enough to give any Japanese learner a headache.

Sometimes, we can avoid them. Sometimes, we just can’t. Still, take a look at some of these hilarious Japanese language mistakes and face-palm moments. 

1. Am I cute, scary or sad?

If we’re ranking them based on the most to least common Japanese language mistakes, this would be it: kawaii and kowai. That one vowel is the difference between making or wrecking someone’s day.

Kawaii (かわいい) is Japanese adjective for cute. A lot of people — even non-learners — have probably heard the word before. In fact, かわいい culture plays a major part in Japanese entertainment. You’ll encounter them in anime, manga and TV programs. 

It’s also the go-to choice when complimenting someone or something. That said, when you’re not careful, you can end up saying “kowai” (こわい), which means the total opposite of cute or adorable. It means “scary” or “intimidating”. 

This is also a bit more advanced, but the word かわいい has two i. Make sure you pronounce the “ka” and add a longer i-tail at the end. Think ka-wai-i. 

今日吉野さんはめっちゃ可愛い！
Kyou yoshino san meccha kawaii!
Yoshino looks very cute today!

今日吉野さんはめっちゃ怖い！
Kyou yoshino san meccha kowai.
Yoshino looks very scary today!

Advanced learns can be tempted to add a “sou” (そう), too. Normally, this would mean something “seems to be”. For example, oishisou (おいしょそう) translates to “looks delicious”. 

Now, you might want to say “looks cute” instead of, well, cute. However, the “kawaisou” (かわいそう) means poor, pathetic or pitiful. No one wants a pity party. 

今日吉野さんめっちゃ可哀想！
Kyou yoshino san meccha kawaisou!
Yoshino looks very pathetic today. 

2. I’m going to the hospital — or is it the beauty salon?

Japanese might have fewer vowels than English, but that doesn’t make it easier for us to nail the right pronunciation. One of the comical Japanese language mistakes is the word byouin and biyouin. Take a look at a scenario of someone asking for directions below.

A: すみません。病院はどこですか？
A: Sumimasen. Byouin wa doko desu ka?
A: Excuse me. Do you know where byouin is?

B: 病院ですよね。右に曲がると、左手にあります。医者は今日休んでいるかもしれませんが…
B: Byouin desu yo ne. Migi ni magaru to, hidarite ni byouin wa arimasu. Isha wa kyou yasundeiru kamoshiremasen ga…
B: Byouin, right? Turn right and you will see on your left. The doctor may be absent today, though…

A: あれ？医者？
A: Are? Isha?
A: What? The doctor?

If you understand what was happening in the completely made-up (but realistic) situation, you have one less problem to worry about. Byouin (びょういん) means hospital (病院). On the other hand, biyouin (びよういん) means beauty salon (美容院). The person asking for directions was probably looking to get a haircut rather than a checkup. 

B: あぁ！美容院ですか？まっすぐ行って、左に曲がると、美容院は右手にあります。
B: Aa! Biyouin desu ka? Massugu itte, hidari ni magaru to, biyouin ha migite ni arimasu.  
B: Oh! Do you mean the beauty salon? Go straight and turn left and the beauty salon will be on your right.

3. He’s my prince, uncle and grandpa – all at once

The Japanese language has long vowels called the chouon. As the name implies, it’s double the length of a normal vowel (think “a” and “aa”). It’s important to know that there are many Japanese vocabularies that look similar, like oji-san (uncle) and ojii-san (grandpa), but they’re not the same. The definitions might even be related — no pun intended. The only difference is that one has a long vowel and one doesn’t. Missing that extended pronunciation will change the meaning entirely. 

It’s easy to detect them in written form. The kanji isn’t the same. Even in romaji, there’s a chance you can quickly see the doubled vowel.  However, your listeners can’t read them in a conversation.

あの人はケンのお祖父さんだ。
Ano hito wa ken no ojii san da. 
That person is Ken’s grandpa. 

あの人はケンの伯父さんだ。
Ano hito ha ken no oji san da.
That person is Ken’s uncle. 

あの人はケンの王子さんだ。
Ano hito ha ken no ouji san da. 
That person is Ken’s prince. 

4. My brother is a monster

This is another confusing long-voweled pair: brother and monster. Oni (鬼 or おに) is a Japanese demon On better days, they’re only depicted as wrathful spirits who like to bring chaos to mankind. On worse days? You’ll hear some nasty stuff said about their appearance: troll, pink-faced, horned and with three toes and fingers.  

Ani (兄), on the other hand, means older brother. You would usually use it to refer your relative as a third person to a stranger. It’s never used for calling your own brother when he’s there. For that, opt for onii-san (お兄さん). Again, extend the end vowel: oni-i-san. 

Of course, you won’t be calling a demon oni-chan or oni-san, but what’s a better way to study phonetics than by expecting worst-case scenarios? 

鬼はコックになった。
Oni wa kokku ni natta.
The demon became a cook. 

兄はコックになった。
Ani ha kokku ni natta.
My brother beame a cook. 

5. It’s okay to make mistakes. We’re carrots after all. 

This is totally acceptable (we think). The kanji for 人 can be both read as nin and jin. Together, they make ninjin. By logic, it should mean “human beings”, right?

Nope. Ninjin (人参, にんじん) means carrot. What you’re looking for is the word ningen (人間・にんげん). When you’re trying to say a word of wisdom in Japanese, just make sure no vegetables are involved. 

人間は誘惑にかかりやすい。
Ningen wa yuuwaku ni kakariyasui.
Men are subject to temptation. 

にんじんは誘惑にかかりやすい。
Ninjin wa yuuwaku ni kakariyasui.
Carrots are subject to temptation. 

6. Or are we fruits?

This is closer to a Japanese tongue-twister than it is a homophone. You may mix the word kodomo (子ども) with kudamono (果物), which can steer the conversation to a completely different route. 

毎日朝ごはんを食べていますか？
Mainichi asagohan o tabete imasuka?
Do you eat breakfast every day?

うん。好きな子どもを食べている。
Un. Suki na kodomo o tabete iru. 
Yeah. I eat the children I like. 

Case by point: it’s not a good idea to tell someone you like eating children for breakfast. Take another breath and say くだもの (fruit) instead. 

7. To use, to put or to make — that is the question 

When you’ve only just begun learning Japanese, it’s easy to mix up some similar-sounding verbs. Be very careful when using つける (tsukeru, to attach), つかう (tsukau, to use), つくる (tsukuru, to make).

A friend who was visiting her host family had asked: トイレを作っていいですか (toire o tsukutte ii desu ka) instead of トイレを使っていいですか (toire o tsukatte ii desu ka), which mean she was asking to make (tsukuru) a toilet rather than using it (tsukau). 

8. You’ll love the taste of red bean

At one point, we like to blurt the first Japanese vocabulary that pops into our head. Anko (あんこ) is a red bean paste loved by many. 

It’s good to express appreciation for the tast, but don’t get it mixed with another Japanese word that means something more — let’s just say — offputting. The word  unko (うんこ) means human stool. If you say, confidently, “うんこの味大好き!” (unko no aji daisuki), prepare to make some ghastly trauma.

9. This cake is weird 

This is another language mishaps all beginner Japanese learners know. Long vowels and homophones are tricky things. The good news is that, because they sound similar, you’re not at risk of getting mistranslated. 

The word お菓子 (おかし, okashi) means sweet, which includes anything from cakes and cookies to candies and small treats. 

We also have おかしい (okashii), which translates to “weird”, “strange” or “ridiculous”.

このお菓子はおかしい。
Kono okashi wa okashii.
This cake is weird. 

Most Japanese people will quickly pick up the minor error and continue the conversation without an eyebat. When you say the word alone, however, is a completely different thing. Better be safe than sorry: keep the okashi short, and the okashii a tad longer (o-ka-shi-i). 

10. Well, this is awkward.. 

It’s easy to get tongue-tied in the head of the moment. As a good member of society (you totally are), you offer a seat to the elderly on a train. It might have been a rush hour and, in the spur of goodwill, you stand up and gesture an oba-san to take your seat. You then confidently announce, “どうぞ触ってください (douzo sawatte kudasai),” which means “Touch me!” 

Make sure it’s su instead of sa. Suwaru (座る) is the verb you’re looking for. Sawaru (触る) means “touch”. 

どうぞ座ってください。
Douzo suwatte kudasai.
Please take a seat.

Conclusion

We’ve all had private face-palm moments. As bad as things get, it helps us be better at speaking Japanese. Everyone needs a bit of hilarious Japanese language mistakes, too. Plus, we recall bad memories more easily and in greater detail than good ones, so think of it as a learning experience. 

Don’t go too hard on yourself. After the cringe stops, no one will probably remember it except you. Save yourself some face: don’t forget to apologize and clarify afterward. 

Got another minute to spare? Challenge yourself to a series of fun Japanese tongue twisters, or learn the cool Japanese slang words.

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The Japanese writing system uses three types of script: hiragana, katakana, and kanji. The unique thing is that it is a mixed logographic and syllabic system. Logographic is a writing system based on meanings or ideas, and the syllabic is based on sounds (syllabic).

When you first start learning Japanese, you might start off using romaji, which is the alphabetized version of this. But eventually, you will have to learn all three. Kanji is perhaps going to be an ongoing learning process up until you reach JLPT N1, and even until today, a lot of Japanese people still struggle with it. Hiragana and katakana are things you will learn soon.

We’ve covered smaller articles for each Japanese writing system. In this guide, we will explain to you the basics of the Japanese writing system, what they are, and some important pointers to keep in mind. Don’t forget to check out our downloadable hiragana chart and quiz for a more detailed guide and resource recommendation.

Basics of Japanese Writing Systems

Japanese writing is often considered one of the most complex systems in the world, but it’s also incredibly logical once you see how the pieces fit together. It uses three distinct scripts: hiragana, katakana, and kanji.

In a standard Japanese sentence, you will often see all three scripts working together:

私の名前はコトです。
Watashi no namae wa Koto desu.
My name is Coto.

Why do we still use three different scripts? It might seem easier to just use one alphabet, but the combination serves a very specific purpose: visual clarity. Japanese does not use spaces between words. Without different scripts, a sentence would be a confusing string of identical-looking characters.

Using the same example above, we can easily break down parts of the sentence based on its writing system.

Script	Japanese	Function
Kanji	私, 名前	Represents the core meaning (I, Name).
Hiragana	の, は, です	Represents grammar and sentence structure.
Katakana	コト	Represents foreign names or loanwords.

Origins of the Japanese Alphabet

Do you know about the history and the origin of hiragana and katakana? Originally, the Japanese ancestors did not have a writing system. Around the fifth century, they began using kanji, ideograms adopted from China and Korea. They only used the phonetic reading of the kanji, regardless of their meaning. At that time, the ideograms were called manyogana (万葉仮名).

However, kanji’s characters are composed of many strokes. They take longer to write, as you have noticed by now! Due to their difficulty, those ideograms were slowly simplified into kana alphabets, namely hiragana and katakana. They are called syllabograms, as each character corresponds to one sound in the Japanese language. According to historians, the change was initiated by Buddhist priests who thought kanji could not accurately represent the Japanese language and that a phonetic alphabet would be better.

On the left is the manyogana, and on the right are simplified hiragana and katakana forms.

• 安 →あ 阿 → ア (a)
• 以 →い 伊 → イ(i)
• 宇 →う、ウ(u)
• 衣 →え 江 → エ(e)
• 於 →お、オ(o)

This change is thought to have occurred between the eighth and ninth centuries.  Hiragana can be considered a simplified calligraphy form of the kanji’s strokes. On the other hand, katakana is taken from a single element of a kanji. In some cases, the hiragana and katakana are created from different ideograms.

Some hiragana and katakana express the same sound and have similar shapes, such as り and リ. However, some can be dissimilar, such as あ and ア. Hiragana is said to be cursive, while katakana is more angular. Do take note that one sound can have more than one hiragana. In 1900, the two kana scripts, hiragana and katakana, were codified. This led to the clear establishment of rules for the Japanese system in 1946.

Japanese Writing System #1: Hiragana

Whenever you just start out learning Japanese, hiragana is usually the first writing system you learn. Hiragana is technically a syllabary or a way of writing where symbols represent whole syllables (such as “ba” and “to”) instead of individual sounds (such as “b” or “t”)⁵. This is because all Japanese words are made up of these small syllables, so there’s no need to write out individual sounds!

In Japanese, there are 46 basic syllables:

• The basic vowels: a, i, u, e, o.
• The k-line: ka, ki, ku, ke, ko.
• The s-line: sa, shi, su, se, so. (Notice that the “si” sound is instead replaced by “shi.”)
• The t-line: ta, chi, tsu, te, to. (Notice that the “ti” and “tu” sounds are instead pronounced closer to “chi” and “tsu.”)
• The n-line: na, ni, nu, ne, no.
• The h-line: ha, hi, fu, he, ho. (Notice that the “hu” sound is actually said as “fu.”)
• The m-line: ma, mi, mu, me, mo.
• The y-line: ya, yu, yo.
• The r-line: ra, ri, ru, re, ro.
• Wa, o/wo, and n. (These sounds are unique, so they are generally placed together. The “o/wo” symbol can be pronounced either way and “n” is considered a whole syllable in Japanese.)

There are also 23 additional syllables in Japanese; these are formed with additional marks that we’ll cover in a minute.

• The g-line: ga, gi, gu, ge, go.
• the z-line: za, ji, zu, ze, zo. (Notice that “ji” is used instead of “zi.”)
• The d-line: da, ji, zu, de, do. (“ji” and “zu” are pronounced the same way as in the z-line but have different uses.)
• The b-line: ba, be, bu, be, bo.
• the p-line: pa, pi, pu, pe, po.

How to Write in Hiragana

So, now that we’ve covered the basic sounds, let’s see how these syllables are written down in hiragana:

Hiragana is generally round in shape, with lots of curves and bends. This characteristic is a key way to tell what symbols are hiragana! You can also combine a consonant with a / ya / yu / yo / sound by attaching a small 「や」、「ゆ」、or 「よ」 to the / i / vowel character of each consonant.

Now, let’s take a look at those 23 additional sounds:

• the g-line: が(ga), ぎ(gi), ぐ(gu), げ(ge), ご(go).
• the z-line: ざ(za), じ(ji), ず(zu), ぜ(ze), ぞ(zo).
• the d-line: だ(da), ぢ(ji), づ(zu), で(de), ど(do). 
• the b-line: ば(ba), べ(be), ぶ(bu), べ(be), ぼ(bo).
• the p-line: ぱ(pa), ぴ(pi), ぷ(pu), ぺ(pe), ぽ(po).

Did you notice something about the above sounds? The hiragana for the g-line is identical to the k-line, and the same goes for the z-line and s-line, the t-line and the d-line, the h-line and the b- and p-lines! The only difference is the addition of diacritical marks; these marks go to the upper right of the hiragana and can be either two short diagonal marks (called a dakuten) or a small circle (called the handakuten). This is pretty nice, as you don’t have to memorize even more symbols!

There are also contracted sounds in Japanese. These sounds are basically combinations of sounds ending in “-i” and the y-line and are considered one syllable as well^. All you have to do for these is add a small y-line hiragana after the main hiragana! (Notice that not all of these syllables keep the “y” sound.)

• the k-line: きゃ(kya), きゅ(kyu), きょ(kyo)
• the s-line: しゃ(sha), しゅ(shu), しょ (sho)
• the t-line: ちゃ(cha), ちゅ(chu), ちょ(cho)
• the n-line: にゃ(nya), にゅ(nyu), にょ(nyo)
• the h-line: ひゃ(hya), ひゅ(hyu), ひょ(hyo)
• the m-line: みゃ(mya), みゅ(my) みょ(myo)
• the r-line: りゃ(rya), りゅ(ryu), りょ(ryo)
• the g-line: ぎゃ(gya), ぎゅ(gyu), ぎょ(gyo)
• the z-line: じゃ(ja), じゅ(ju), じょ(jo)
• the b-line: びゃ(bya), びゅ(byu), びょ(byo)
• the p-line: ぴゃ(pya), ぴゅ(pyu), ぴょ(pyo)

So, that is the basics of how hiragana is written. However, there are also double consonants and long vowels, which are written with variations in hiragana (and katakana). We recommend checking out our full-length article about double consonants and long vowels to learn more about those!

When Do We Use Hiragana?

Hiragana can be used for many things; it’s like the all-rounder of writing Japanese, and it represents all the syllables of the Japanese language! Hiragana is used when writing verb endings, particles, grammar words (such as conjunctions), and many native Japanese words, as well as for words that do not have a corresponding kanji character. Hiragana is also used in furigana; this is when hiragana is written in a small font above kanji for those who don’t know the kanji’s reading.

Long Vowels and Double Consonants in Hiragana

In Japanese hiragana, double consonants are represented by adding a small “tsu” character (っ) before the consonant that is doubled. For example, the word “katta” (勝った), meaning “won”, would be written as かった, with a small “tsu” between the two “t” characters.

Long vowels in hiragana are made by extending a consonant or vowel with another vowel, depending on the vowel, in accordance with the following chart.

For example, the word “ookii” (大きい), meaning “big”, would be written as おおきい.

Vowel Sound	Extended by	Example
a	あ	おばあさん
i, e	い	おおきい、きれい
u, o	う	こうこう、くうき

Let’s start off with a simple sentence – “My pet’s name is Bob.” (What a funny name for a pet!) In Hiragana, this looks like this:

わたしの ぺっと の なまえ は  ぼぶ です。
Watashi no petto no namae wa bobu desu.

So, we can write a whole Japanese sentence just using hiragana! This is how most people (including native speakers) start off reading and writing Japanese. Of course, as you learn about katakana and kanji, some of these words will be replaced.  However, you will see that the particles (の [no] and は [wa]) and the native verb です(desu) will remain the same, as these are some of the things that specifically use hiragana!  

Now that you’ve learned the basics, it’s time for practice! Head on over to our list of practice sheets, apps, and quizzes to make sure you’ve got a solid understanding of hiragana!

Japanese Writing System #2: Katakana

After hiragana, it’s a good idea to learn katakana next; katakana works the exact same way that hiragana does, just using different characters; some katakana symbols even look similar to their hiragana counterparts!  In fact, hiragana and katakana are often collectively referred to as kana, since they are so similar!

How to Write Katakana  

the basic vowels	ア(a), イ(i), ウ(u), エ(e), オ(o)
the k-line	カ (ka), キ(ki), ク(ku), ケ(ke), コ(ko)
the s-line	サ(sa), シ(shi), ス(su), セ(se), ソ(so)
the t-line	タ(ta), チ(chi),ツ(tsu), テ(te), ト(to)
the h-line	ハ(ha), ヒ(hi), フ(fu), へ(he), ホ(ho)
the n-line	ナ(na), ニ(ni), ヌ(nu), ネ(ne), ノ(no)
the m-line	マ(ma), ミ(mi), ム(mu), メ(me), モ(mo)
the y-line	ヤ(ya), ユ(yu), ヨ(yo)
the r-line	ラ(ra), リ(ri), ル(ru), レ(re), ロ(ro).
	ワ(wa), ヲ(o/wo), and ン(n).

Now, let’s take a look at those 23 additional sounds:

• the g-line: ガ(ga), ギ(gi), グ(gu), ゲ(ge), ゴ(go).
• the z-line: ザ(za), ジ(ji), ズ(zu), ゼ(ze), ゾ(zo).
• the d-line: ダ(da), ヂ(ji), ヅ(zu), デ(de), ド(do). 
• the b-line: バ(ba), ビ(bi), ブ(bu), べ(be), ボ(bo).
• the p-line: パ(pa), ピ(pi), プ(pu), ぺ(pe), ポ(po).

The contracted sounds are also formed in the same way as in hiragana. However, katakana has additional combinations with small vowel letters to transcribe foreign sounds that did not originally exist in Japanese. These are generally easy to pronounce, as you simply combine the consonant of the main katakana symbol with the vowel of the smaller one.

Examples of this include the フェ (fe) in カフェ (kafe), the ティ (ti) in パーティー (paatii), and the ウィ (wi) in ハロウィーン (harowiin)!

You can see that katakana is simpler and has more straight lines than hiragana; this is one major way to tell them apart!

If you want to learn more about katakana, check out our article below and get a free, downloadable PDF of our chart!

Read More: What is Katakana? Free Katakana Chart and Learning Guide

How and When to Use Katakana

Another way to tell them apart is by their usage. Katakana is used for foreign loanwords or words from different languages. ハンバーガー (hanbaagaa, hamburger) and アルバイト (arubaito, part-time job) are examples of Japanese words taken from English and German, respectively. Many non-Japanese names are spelled using katakana as well!

Katakana is also often used for onomatopoeic words, which are words that imitate sounds, such as “pikapika” (sparkling), “gacha” (clacking sound), or “wanwan” (dog’s bark).

Katakana can also be used to emphasize words, similar to how words might be italicized or bolded in English. You can usually see this more in signs or advertisements, like メガネ, megane (glasses) or ラーメン (raamen, glasses).

Long Vowels and Double Consonants in Katakana

Long vowels in katakana are so much simpler than hiragana. All long vowel sounds are denoted by a simple dash: ー.

For example, the word “アート” (aato), meaning “art”, has a long “a” sound represented by the horizontal line over the “a” character.

Double consonants in Katakana are represented using a small “tsu” character (ッ) just like in Hiragana. For example, the word “バッグ” (baggu), meaning “bag”, has a double “g” sound represented by the small “tsu” character.

Remember the pet with the funny name? Let’s take another look at that sentence, this time adding in katakana – try to guess where the katakana will be!

わたしのペットのなまえは ボブ です。
Watashi no petto no namae wa bobu desu.

Did you guess petto and bobu? Both of these words are English loanwords and names, so they would be written in katakana. Including katakana when writing Japanese is also a great way to make the words easier to distinguish from each other; writing in all hiragana could make it hard to tell words apart, since Japanese doesn’t normally use spaces!

Difference Between Hiragana and Katakana

Why are there 2 syllabic Japanese scripts? In the event that the difference is stylistic, you will learn that hiragana is used to write native Japanese words. Those words will have no kanji representation, and the ideogram will be too ancient or too difficult to write. This kana script is also the one used to write grammatical elements such as particles: を (wo)、に (ni)、へ (he;e)、が (ga)、は (ha).

On the contrary, the Japanese use katakana to write words of foreign origin and foreign names. If you like to read manga in Japanese, you will certainly notice that katakana is also used to represent onomatopoeia and emphasis.

Have you heard of the word “furigana”? Furigana are hiragana and katakana characters written in small forms above kanji in order to show the pronunciation. Furigana is used in kids’ books and Japanese language textbooks for learners, in order to teach the reading of unknown kanji.

Japanese Writing System #3: Kanji

Kanji is usually the last system to be learned, even for native Japanese speakers! Kanji are Chinese characters and were Japan’s first writing system. They were first introduced to Japan over 1,500 years ago; hiragana and katakana actually evolved from these symbols!

Kanji are complex characters that represent words or ideas, and they form the backbone of the Japanese writing system. In fact, it is estimated that there are over 50,000 kanji characters, although only a fraction of those are commonly used.

Reading Kanji

Kanji is different from hiragana and katakana in that there are multiple ways to pronounce a single character. This is because there is a Chinese way to read a character (called the on-yomi) and a Japanese way (the kun-yomi). The on-yomi was the original way, but when kanji started to be used to write native Japanese words, new pronunciations were added¹. So, if you see a character pronounced one way in one word, but differently in another, this is why!

1. Kunyomi (訓読み): This is the Native Japanese reading. It is usually used when a janji stands alone as its own word.
2. Onyomi (音読み): This is the Sino-Japanese reading (derived from Chinese). It is almost always used when two or more kanji are joined together to form a compound word. You might also notice that onyomi readings tend to sound similar to their Chinese counterpart. For example, the word library in Japanese and simplified Chinese are toshokan (図書館) and tú shū guǎn (图书馆). This is one of the reasons why Chinese native speakers tend to learn Japanese faster than most of us.

To better understand see the difference, let’s take a look at the table below that breaks down a few basic kanji and their reading in kunyomi and onyomi.

Kanji	Meaning	Kunyomi	Onyomi
水	Water	Mizu	Sui
人	People	Hito	Jin/nin
下	Below	Shita	Ka/ge
上	Above	Ue	Jou

How to Write Kanji

All kanji are made up of one or more radicals. A radical is simply a small symbol that, either by itself or when combined with other symbols, makes up a complete kanji character. Take, for instance, the radical 一. By itself, this is the complete kanji for ichi (one). But, it can be added with the radical亅to form the kanji 丁! There are 214 total radicals used in 13 different positions when forming kanji, though some radicals and positions are used more frequently than others. If you think of all kanji as being made up of these smaller radicals, then they will be easier to learn!

There are roughly four main types of kanji, based on how and why the radicals are arranged¹:

1. Pictograms

These kanji originally came from pictures, simply drawing the object itself to represent it in writing¹. It’s like writing “😊” to represent “smiley face” – just like emojis today! Take a look at 山 (yama, mountain) for example; doesn’t the character 山 remind you of how a mountain looks, with a pointy peak at the top?

2. Simple Ideograms

These kanji originally used lines and dots to “represent numbers or abstract concepts.¹” So, instead of drawing an object, you would try to visually represent the idea you wanted to convey. Take “up” and “down” for instance; drawing a dot above a line could represent “up” while a dot below a line would signify “down.” This is where 上 (ue, up) and 下 (shita, down) came from!

3. Compound Ideograms

Basically, these are kanji formed by combining two or more simpler kanji¹. The kanji used in 休む (yasumu, to rest), for example, is a combination of 人 (hito, person [often written as ⺅ when used as a radical]) and 木 (ki, tree)¹. A lot of the time, the two simpler kanji are chosen because of their connection to the resulting character. For 休, a person leaning against a tree would be resting – which is why 人 and 木 were chosen to form this character!  

4. Phonetic-ideographic Characters

These kanji are usually found when a character’s original on-yomi sounded like a native Japanese word, but the kanji associated with the sound didn’t represent the word’s meaning. So, to remedy this, those in the past added an additional kanji to clarify the meaning. In other words, these kanji are formed by combining one kanji that has the word’s pronunciation and another kanji that represents the word’s meaning. One example of this is the character for sei (clean). Water is generally associated with cleaning, so the kanji for water 水 (mizu, often written as ⺡) is added to the kanji 青 (sei, blue) to get 清 sei (clean).

As you can see, kanji are definitely more complex than hiragana or katakana, but don’t worry – there are plenty of simple kanji too! Plus, knowing the radicals and kanji types will help to make learning and remembering kanji easier. Knowing the stroke order, or the steps in which each character is written, can help make memorization easier too; check out this site to look up any kanji and see its stroke order (and other helpful information)!

What is the Use of Kanji?

Kanji is used for nouns, verb stems, and adjectives. So, kanji are used for most major words that you will encounter in everyday Japanese! While hiragana and katakana are crucial, you also can’t rely on just those when reading and writing; you have to learn kanji as well!

Kanji Example

Let’s take one last look at Bob, this time reading the sentence as it would be written in everyday Japanese:

私のペットの名前はボブです。
Watashi no petto no namae wa bobu desu.

Well, using kanji certainly makes the Japanese sentence shorter! In this case, the pronoun watashi (I) and the noun namae (name) use kanji. If there were a different verb in this sentence (like “look” or “ate”), then there would most likely be kanji there as well. Finally, using these new symbols makes the sentence even easier to read, as they are visually quite different than hiragana or katakana!

While all of this might seem overwhelming at first, it’s nothing you can’t handle with a little practice! Simply writing the kanji out is a great way to see how the radicals work together and to memorize their combinations, but if you’re looking for something a little bit more high-tech, there are also some kanji apps we recommend you can use to practice as well!

Tips for Writing in Japanese

Switching from a Latin alphabet to Japanese is like moving from a “linear” way of thinking to a “grid-based” one. Since you’re already familiar with the sounds, here are the most important practical tips to keep in mind when you start putting pen to paper (or fingers to keys).

1. There are no spaces in the Japanese writing system

Japanese is written with no spaces, so a combination of hiragana, kanji, and katakana helps distinguish words within a sentence. As you improve your Japanese writing and reading skills, you’ll start to feel that reading kanji is often easier than reading a sentence that consists solely of hiragana.

2. Be careful of hiragana characters that sound and look similar

Pay more attention when pronouncing “tsu” and “su”. Beginner-level students also have a hard time discerning ro (ろ), re (れ), ru (る), and nu (ぬ) and me (め) because they look similar.

3. Correct stroke order and direction are important

Writing hiragana with the correct stroke order and direction will help you intuitively know how to write new characters, and it has a big effect on how readable it ends up looking.

The Fourth Japanese Writing System: Romaji

Have you heard of romaji? If you have never heard of it, chances are you have already used it either way!

Romaji is the representation of Japanese sounds using the Latin (Roman) alphabet. While it is not a traditional Japanese script, it serves as a bridge for learners before they memorize hiragana, katakana, and kanji. For example, writing “Watashi no namae wa Coto desu” uses romaji to make the sentence readable to anyone who has not yet mastered the three primary Japanese scripts.

We only recommend using romaji as a learning aid when you are just starting out, but you should not become dependent on it. Because Japanese has many homophones (words that sound the same but have different meanings), relying solely on romaji can be confusing. A lot of Japanese words are homophones. For instance, the romaji word “hashi” could mean bridge (橋), chopsticks (箸), or edge (端).
More importantly, romaji is how most Japanese people interact with technology. To type the word “Ssakura,” a user typically types the Roman letters s-a-k-u-r-a on a standard QWERTY keyboard, which the software then converts into hiragana (さくら) or kanji (桜).

Conclusion

Well, we certainly covered a lot of ground today! Let’s review everything to make sure you remember what we learned.

Japanese has three types of writing systems: hiragana, katakana, and kanji. Hiragana is curvy, represents small syllables, and is used for grammatical information, particles, and native Japanese words! Katakana is straight, also represents small syllables, and is used for loanwords from other languages. Kanji are complex characters made up of radicals, represent a concept, a sound, or a mixture of the two, and are used for nouns, verb stems, and adjectives.

And those are the main points! Not so bad, right? You are now ready to start reading and writing Japanese like a pro! If you feel like you need more help, though, feel free to reach out to us or join one of our many Japanese language classes here!

FAQ

What is the Japanese writing system?

The Japanese writing system uses Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji scripts.

What does Hiragana represents?

Hiragana represents native Japanese words, grammatical particles, and verb endings.

What does Katakana represents?

Katakana represents foreign words, loanwords, onomatopoeic words, and emphasis.

How many characters are there in hiragana and katakana?

There are 46 characters in each of the Hiragana and Katakana scripts.

What is the closet thing to English chracters?

There is no such thing as the Japanese alphabet, but the closest things would be called hiragana and katakana.

How many kanji I should learn?

To be considered fluent in Japanese, you must learn from 1500 to 2500 kanji characters.

In Japanese, just like any other language, saying “you” or addressing someone properly is one of the most important basics. However, there are multiple ways to address others, with many words that mean “you” in Japanese, and the trickiest part is using the right word in the right context while being polite and respectful.

While most of these words refer to one word, “you” in English, the wrong word can be considered rude or offensive in Japanese. That’s why it is important to understand what context is appropriate for addressing someone correctly. For example, you probably want to avoid calling your boss something like “darling” in Japanese.

But worry not! It’s not as overwhelming as it seems, so let’s find out how you can respectfully address others in Japanese!

Polite Ways to Say “You” in Japanese

1. 貴方 (あなた) Anata

Found in textbooks, あなた (anata) is the most basic word for ‘you.’ It is usually used by strangers who do not know the name or anything else about the person they are addressing. It can also mean “darling” when used by wives to address their husbands. Because of that, it is inappropriate to call someone you know あなた, such as your boss.

Directly referring to people as あなた can also come across as direct and rude. Japanese culture tends to value indirectness since it’s seen as less direct and more respectful. This might be why passive voice is more common in Japanese compared to English. So, the most respectful way to refer to someone is to drop the “you” altogether, but we will discuss how you can do that in a bit.

Note that the kanji, 貴方, is rarely used; usually it is written in hiragana as あなた.

2. 諸君 (しょくん) Shokun

諸君 literally translates to “you people,” which sounds a bit rude in English, so it more closely conveys something like “ladies and gentlemen.” It is a very polite way of addressing a group of people.

Casual Ways to Say “You” in Japanese

3. 君 (きみ) Kimi

Occasionally used to address others, 君 can be considered condescending if used in inappropriate situations. 君 is meant to be used by people of a higher status than those below them, such as adults to children and teachers to students. It can also be used to represent intimacy romantically, such as in 君の名は (Kimi no Na wa) Your Name, a romance anime. Thus, it is also a word used by couples. 

4. お前 (おまえ) Omae

Commonly used between friends in informal situations, it is rude to address someone outside of your social circle お前. Being a masculine word, it is also used romantically by husbands to address their wives. 

5. あんた Anta

A shortened form of 貴方, it is also considered less formal. Previously used to address people of a higher status, it is considered disrespectful today. Mostly used by women and people in a close social circle in informal conversations.

Rude Ways to Say “You” in Japanese (Should Avoid Saying)

6. 手前 (てまえ) Temae

This is a very rude word that is hardly used by anyone in real life, though it can be commonly found in Japanese media like manga and anime. You often see fictional characters use it to address others when they are angry or even want to insult them. You would rarely hear it being used in actual Japanese conversation, even in a heated argument.

If you do happen to use it, people might find it kind of funny or just out of place and think you watch too many cartoons. Overall, we wouldn’t recommend using this term at all. 

7. 己 Onore

Similar to 手前, it is mostly seen only in Japanese media used to curse at others. However, depending on context, onore can also mean ‘oneself’ or ‘myself’. 

8. 貴様 (きさま) Kisama

Even though it used to be a respectful term, it is now considered very rude to address someone as 貴様 and is mostly only used in Japanese media; you might recognize it from popular Japanese video game characters like Kazuya or Heihachi. It is an extremely derogatory word, often used by powerful villains or kings who think themselves above others.

Dialects 

Different regions in Japan have their own dialects, and some words can have different meanings depending on where they are spoken. Here are some examples.  

1. あんた Anta: In Kinki (Western Japan), it is a friendly and endearing word, but in Kanto (Eastern Japan), it is considered rude and insulting
2. わい Wai: Depending on the region, it can mean either ‘I’ or ‘You.’ 
3. 自分 (じぶん) Jibun: Kansai dialect that means ‘You’ depending on the context. Originally, it means ‘I’. 
4. きさん Ki san: Kyushu dialect that is a variation of 貴様 (きさま) but is considered less rude and not used against enemies 

Most Common Ways to Say “You” in Japanese

In Japan, more often than not, people address each other through context where they completely omit pronouns such as “you”. It might be weird when translated into another language like English, but this is how Japanese is naturally spoken.

When people address each other, they do so using the other person’s name, title, or position. Many Japanese people use this in formal and informal conversations, depending on the context. Honorifics are added behind their names as a form of politeness and respect. 

Besides “you”, there are other ways to say “I” or “myself” in Japanese, including ore, boku and watashi. Read our blog to find more: How to Refer to Yourself in Japanese

When in Doubt, Alternative Ways of Saying “You” in Japanese

Luckily, most Japanese people don’t use “you” as it’s often unnecessary, and it might be better not to since it can be seen as rather rude. So, when in doubt, just don’t say “you” at all.

Instead, here are a few easier ways to avoid unnecessary glares and question marks.

Use their honorifics

9. さん (San)

さん is an honorific title which translates to “Mr”, “Mrs”, “Miss”, and “Ms ” in English. It is a polite way to address someone and the most common since it is neutral and widely applicable to just about any situation. 

10. ちゃん (Chan)

ちゃん (chan) is used by people familiar with one another. It communicates a sense of cuteness and is usually used to refer to young women, close friends, children, lovers, or pets. It’s generally used to express endearment to someone.

11. くん (Kun)

A male honorific is generally used to refer to men and by superiors addressing those below them. It is not a very polite honorific and is only used between men and women who are close.

Want to learn more about Japanese honorifics? Also, check out our more complete guide on Japanese honorific titles!

12. さま (Sama)

さま is the most formal honorific and is a higher version of さん. It is only used in specific situations, such as addressing Japanese deities or customers. It is a form of Japanese Keigo that is commonly used in the Japanese workplace.

Formal Japanese can be confusing and complex; so check out our guide to learn everything you need to know: Japanese Keigo ( Formal Japanese). 

Addressing Someone with their First Name, Last Name, or Title

13. Last name

Using the last name alone is usually done in a casual and friendly context, such as between classmates. It is considered impolite to call someone by their last name alone; thus, honorifics are added. For instance, with your manager, it is better to use their last name along with the suffix, 〜さん (~san).

14. First name

First-name basis is considered a big deal to Japanese people. The rule of thumb is this: never address them by their first name unless they allow it. People usually use first names when they are family members, friends, or romantic partners. Among colleagues of the same level, usually a suffix is used, even if it’s 〜ちゃん (~chan), since using a first name alone can feel a bit cold.

15. Title

It is also common to address others by their titles, especially when you need to express respect to someone of higher status.

1. 先生 (せんせい). Sensei isn’t just for teachers. Rather, view it as a title. Whenever you’re talking or addressing doctors, lawyers, authors, artists, or politicians, always add “sensei” after their last name.
2. 先輩 (せんぱい). Use senpai to talk to your seniors, be it at school or the workplace.
3. 社長 (しゃちょう) Shacho, which translates to president.

Conclusion: Addressing Others in Japanese Usually Doesn’t Involve “You”

In Japanese, it is often best to avoid saying “you” at all. It’s common in Japanese to omit certain words, especially subject terms like “you.” It may feel unnatural at first, but Japanese people will easily understand who you are referring to based on context. But in cases when referring to the listener is completely unavoidable, you can refer to their name with a suffix (san, sama, etc.) or title, especially when you want to show respect to the person you’re talking to!

Learning Japanese? Make It Easy with Coto Academy

Want to learn how to refer to others naturally like a native? Join Coto Academy to learn Japanese you won’t get from the textbook! Our courses immerse you in actual Japanese conversation that you would use in real life. We aim to have you develop an intuition for how natural language sounds and reads rather than just memorizing endless words and phrases.

Coto Academy is one of Japan’s leading language schools, with campuses in Shibuya, Yokohama, Iidabashi, Minato, and a fully online school. We offer flexible Japanese lessons, whether you’re looking for intensive, part-time, or online courses, so you can reach your language goals faster. 

FAQ:

Is it rude to say "you" in Japanese such as "anata"?

Using words for “you” like anata can come across as direct and slightly rude in Japanese. The Japanese language tends to value indirect communication, so it’s better to avoid using “you” in Japanese. You can either drop the pronoun or just use the person’s name or title.

Does Kimi and Anata mean "you" in Japanese?

Yes, both kimi and anata both mean “you” in Japanese. Anata is seen as more neutral, whereas kimi is usually used by adults to address someone younger, like children. Kimi can also be used between couples.

What words should you avoid using for "you"?

You should generally avoid using the word お前 (omae), which is considered pretty rude but can be used playfully with friends you are close to. The terms 手前 (temae) and 貴様 (kisama) should never be used, since they are seen as extremely rude and rather cartoony or even embarrassing. They are rarely used in actual Japanese conversation despite how common they seem to be in anime and manga.