Have you started learning Japanese adjectives? Once you get the hang of basic Japanese grammar structure, you will want to form more complex sentences. What happens if you want to say that the dog is cute? Or short? Or friendly? This is where Japanese adjectives come in: to make you express more, rather than just stating the obvious. (Sure, that is a dog, but what about it?)

Japanese adjectives aren’t just used to describe physical appearance or behavior. They’re used as quantifiers — to express emotions and detail dimensions. They’re used to modify a noun. While they function similarly to English, the grammar rules of Japanese adjectives are a little bit complex, too.

This will be a self-study guide on Japanese adjectives, complete with example sentences. We’ll talk you through the two kinds of adjectives and how to use them, but if you want to get more support and direction from native instructors, we suggest you take a look at our online Japanese course.

Before we go further into the article, note that this article will mostly use hiragana, so prior knowledge of them is a must. If you’re still learning them, don’t worry — take a look at our hiragana chart to review them.

Also check out our video explaining い-adjectives and な-adjectives!

What are Adjectives in Japanese?

Adjectives in Japanese, or 形容詞 (keiyoushi), are descriptive words that add details to nouns by describing details about the noun. Adjectives in Japanese operate similarly to those in English, being used to describe the noun in the sentence. Adjectives come in many forms, including:

1. Descriptive adjectives 

Describe physical characteristics such as color (blue or red), size (large or small), the materials of something (wooden or metal), and age (old or young). Here are some common descriptive adjectives in Japanese

Japanese	Furigana	Romaji	English
赤い	あかい	akai	red
青い	あおい	aoi	blue (or green)
黄色	きいろ	kiro	yellow
大きい	おおきい	ookii	large
ちさい	ちさい	chisai	little
若い	わかい	wakai	young
古い	ふるい	furui	old
綺麗	きれい	kirei	pretty/clean
美しい	うつくしい	utsukushii	beautiful
硬い	かたい	katai	hard
柔らかい	やわらかい	yawarakai	soft

2. Quantitative Adjectives

Adjectives also describe the quantity of something, such as how many, how few, or a specific number of something. However, in Japanese, using numbers as an adjective would require using counters, which change based on what thing you are counting. For general objects, it’s common to use the 和語 (wago) or native Japanese counting system (e.g., hitotsu, futatsu, mitsu). 

		Romaji	English
Japanese	Furigana	Romaji	English
多い	おおい	ooi	a lot
たくさん	たくさん	takusan	a lot
少ない	すくない	sukunai	a little
結構	けっこう	kekkou	some
一つ	ひとつ	hitotsu	1 (object)
二つ	ふたつ	futatsu	2 (objects)
三つ	みっつ	mittsu	3 (objects)

To learn more about how counting and numbers work in Japanese, read our blog: How to Count & Read Numbers in Japanese.

3. Proper Adjectives

Similar to nouns, adjectives can also be proper, which can be the names of people, places, and things like products. In English, proper nouns are often conjugated into adjectives, but they will differ depending on the type of noun. In Japanese, it works similarly, but let’s explore how they differ:

Persons:

John → John’s

ジョン → ジョンの

Places: 

Japan → Japanese

日本 (nihon) → 日本の (nihonno)

Things:

Nike → Nike’s (often the ‘s is omitted, e.g., Nike shoes)

ナイキ → ナイキの

In Japanese, you attach the particle の to nouns, whether they are proper or not, to transform it into an adjective. 

4. Adjectives for Abstract Characteristics

Adjectives are also used to describe abstract characteristics such as the function, value, and quality of something or the behavior of someone. For example, a machine can be described as expensive or cheap, and a person can be described as smart or kind.

Japanese	Furigana	Romaji	English
うるさい	うるさい	akai	red
静か	しずか	shizuka	quiet
頭がいい	あたまがいい	atama ga ii	smart
難しい	むずかしい	muzukashii	difficult
優しい	やさしい	yasashii	easy/kind
意地悪	いじわる	ijiwaru	mean
厳しい	きびしい	kibishii	strict
すごい	すごい	sugoi	amazing
美味しい	おいしい	oishii	delicious
高い	たかい	takai	expensive
安い	やすい	yasui	cheap
危ない	あぶない	abunai	dangerous
安全	あんぜん	anzen	safe
早い	はやい	hayai	fast
遅い	おそい	osoi	slow

Just like in English, adjectives in Japanese are descriptors that modify nouns; however, there are 2 different types of grammatical Japanese adjectives to be aware of.

Types of Japanese Adjectives (And How to Use Them)

Japanese adjectives are categorized into two types: な-adjectives and い-adjectives. Their main function is to describe nouns, but these adjectives can also be transformed into nouns themselves.

The easiest way to separate な-adjectives and い-adjectives is by checking the adjective’s ending. More precisely, it is whether the word ends with い or not. For example, 大きい (ookii) is an i-adjective, but 静か is a na-adjective.

Of course, this is a rule of thumb, but there are exceptions you need to note as well. What you need to know are the grammar particles and the way they conjugate.

To know all the basic Japanese adjectives, check out the 100 most common adjectives we’ve collected.

い-adjectives in Japanese

The い-adjective is easy to identify: they end in い. Some い-adjectives might also have a double い (いい), but their stem form will usually stay the same regardless of the form it takes.

In this case, we’ll be using the example 高い (たかい), which means high (height) or expensive (price). Briefly, this is how you will conjugate an い-adjective into different tenses and forms.

Form	Kanji	Hiragana	Meaning
Positive (Present)	高い	たかい	High
Negative (Present)	高くない	たかくない	Not high
Positive (Past)	高かった	たかかった	Was high
Negative (Present)	高くなかった	たかくなかった	Was not high

Present Tense for I-adjectives

To express an い-adjective in the present tense, simply let it take its original stem form and add an 〜い (already joined).

Keep in mind that Japanese does not clearly distinguish between the present and the future tense. A sentence in the present tense can also refer to the future, depending on the context. In other words, Japanese treats them as the same tense.

今日の天気はいいです。
Kyou no tenki wa ii desu.
The weather is nice today.

明日の天気はいいです。
Ashita on tenki wa ii desu.
The weather will be nice tomorrow.

Negative (Present) Tense for I-adjectives

To make a present-tense い-adjective negative, replace the 〜い with 〜くない.

Base Adjective	Rule	Negative Form	Meaning
〜い adjective	〜い → 〜くない	〜くない	not ~

今日は寒くないです。
Kyou wa samukunai desu.
It is not cold today.

Past Tense for I-adjectives

To express an い-adjective in the present tense, you must omit the 〜い from the word’s stem form and join it with a 〜かった.

Base Adjective	Rule	Negative (Past)	Meaning
〜い adjective	〜い → 〜くなかった	〜くなかった	was not ~

あの車が高かったです。
Ano kuruma ga takakatta desu.
That car was expensive.

Negative (Past) Tense for I-adjectives

For this, similar to negative and past adjectives, you can change the 〜い with a new conjugation, which is a combination of くない and かった: 〜くなかった.

Base Adjective	Rule	Negative (Past)	Meaning
〜い adjective	〜い → 〜くなかった	〜くなかった	was not ~

Exception for Adjective

1. 良い (Yoi): Good, well, great

Normally, the stem of an い-adjective stays the same regardless of tense or form. One important exception: いい (good).

Although it is commonly used as いい, the original form is よい (良い). In the present positive tense, both いい and よい can be used, with よい sounding more formal. However, when changing the adjective into negative or past forms, the stem changes to よ, not い.

This is why the correct forms are よくない (not good), よかった (was good), and よくなかった (was not good).

Form	Kanji	Hiragana	Meaning
Positive (Present)	良い	よい；いい	Good; well
Negative (Present)	良くない	よくない	Not good
Positive (Past)	良かった	よかった	Was good
Negative (Present)	良くなかった	よくなかった	Was not good

2. かっこい (Kakkoi): Cool

The same thing can be said with かっこいい (cool). When it becomes a negative form or past tense, the stem changes to よ. Instead of かっこいくない, change it to かっこよくない.

3. きれい (Kirei) and きらい (Kirai)

One last thing: also, it seems like it, きれい (pretty or clean) and きらい (hate or dislike) are actually na-adjectives even though the word ends with い, so be careful!

野菜がきらくない。
Yasai ga kirakunai.
I don’t hate vegetables. (Wrong)

野菜がきらいじゃない。
Yasai ga kirai ja nai.
I don’t hate vegetables. (Correct)

Casual Form for I-adjectives

For the polite form of い-adjective, you will need to add the auxiliary verb of です. For negative and past adjective forms, follow the same conjugational transformation as well.

Form	Casual Form	Polite form	Meaning
Positive (Present)	よい	よい；いいです	Good; well
Negative (Present)	よくない	よくないです	Not good
Positive (Past)	よかった	よかったです	Was good
Negative (Present)	よくなかった	よくなかったです	Was not good

Making it a casual form is easier; simply remove the です and leave it as it is. However, note that this only applies when the adjective is put at the end of the sentence.

A lot of Japanese people will even shorten the adjective and omit the い. For example, when talking with friends in a good mood, people will say すげー instead of すごい to express something amazing, or うまー instead of うまい to compliment a very delicious meal.

な-adjectives in Japanese

A な-adjective, or na keiyoushi (な形容詞), is a type of Japanese adjective that acts like a noun and needs な when directly describing a noun. Unlike い-adjectives, you can’t modify conjugations in な-adjectives directly to express tense or form. Instead, think of them as nouns (although they’re not, so be careful).

This is because the way you modify its value is the same as how you would with nouns. What you want to do instead is to change the auxiliary verb of the whole sentence or phrase：です、ではありません、 でした or ではありませんでした.

The way you can identify a な-adjective is by looking at the particle attached to it: な. For example, 元気な人 (genki na hito), which means a healthy (or happy, depending on the context) person. A lot of people find な-adjectives to be easier to learn because of their simple (and easy modification) rule.

Like い-adjectives, you can put a な-adjective before a noun. When you do so, the adjective-noun combination becomes the subject.

You can also put a な-adjective at the end of a sentence. When that happens, the form is like this:

Form	Structure	Meaning
Present Affirmative	Adjective + な + Noun + です	is ~
Present Negative	Adjective + な + Noun + ではありません	is not ~
Past Affirmative	Adjective + な + Noun + でした	was ~
Past Negative	Adjective + な + Noun + ではありませんでした	was not ~

In this case, we’ll be using the example 元気, which means happy or healthy. Briefly, this is how you will transform a な-adjective into different tenses and forms.

Present Tense for Na-adjectives

The most basic form of な-adjectives — meaning, positive value in the present tense — is followed by the auxiliary verb of です (polite) or だ (casual). Keep in mind that, similar to い-adjectives, the present and future tense use the same form. To describe a noun, you need to put the particle な in the middle of the adjective and the noun (hence, it’s called na-adjective). Take a look at the example below.

Form	Kanji	Hiragana	Meaning
Positive (Present)	元気だ	げんきだ	Healthy; lively
Negative (Present)	元気じゃない	げんきじゃない	Not healthy; lively
Positive (Past)	元気だった	げんきだった	Was healthy; lively
Negative (Present)	元気じゃなかった	げんきじゃなかった	Was not healthy; lively

好きな人は田中さんだ。
Suki na hito wa Tanaka-san da.
The person I like is Tanaka-san.

As we mentioned before, the conjugation rules for な-adjectives are the same as nouns, so even when the adjective is put at the end of the sentence, you will still use だ.

田中さんが好きだ。
Tanaka-san ga suki da.
I like Tanaka-san.

Negative (Present) Tense for Na-adjectives

Similarly, to conjugate the auxiliary verb to get to the negative form for な-adjective, add 〜じゃありません. You can also use 〜ではありません, which has the same meaning (negative value), but sounds more polite and is usually used in written Japanese.

To make it casual, you can shorten it into 〜じゃない or 〜ではない.

あのウェイターはお客さんに親切ではない。
Ano weitaa wa okyakusama ni shinsetsu dehanai.
That waiter is not kind to guests.

あまり歌っていなくて、カラオケが上手じゃない。
Amari utte inakute, karaoke ga jouzu janai.
Because I don’t sing so much, I’m not good at karaoke.

You can also put a negative な-adjective before a noun.

Past Tense for Na-adjectives

To indicate that something was true before (and is not now), you will need to add だった (casual) or でした (polite) at the end of the sentence or phrase with a な-adjective.

子供の頃、お風呂が嫌いだった。
Kodomo no koro, ofuro ga kirai datta.
When I was a kid, I hated taking a bath.

Negative (Past) Tense for Na-adjectives

As with previous Japanese adjective modification, to make a na-adjective negative and in the past tense, simple add じゃありませんでした or ではありませんでした。

You can make it more casual by just transforming the auxiliary verb.

Style	Form	Structure	Example (きれい)
Polite	Standard	Adjective + ではありませんでした	きれいではありませんでした
Polite	Casual alt.	Adjective + じゃありませんでした	きれいじゃありませんでした
Casual	Plain	Adjective + ではなかった	きれいではなかった
Casual	Common	Adjective + じゃなかった	きれいじゃなかった

この街は静かじゃなかった。
Kono machi wa shizuka janakatta.
This town wasn’t peaceful (before).

リノベーションの前に、ホテルはきれいではありませんでした。
Rinobeeshon no mae ni, hoteru wa kirei dewa arimasen deshita.
Before the renovation, the hotel wasn’t pretty.

Casual Form for Na-adjectives

We’ve touched up how to change polite forms to casual forms for な-adjective, but we’ve made a table to sum it all up.

Form	Casual Form	Polite Form
Positive (Present)	元気だ	元気です
Negative (Present)	元気じゃない	元気じゃありません
Positive (Past)	元気だった	元気でした
Negative (Present)	元気じゃなかった	元気じゃありませんでした

Exceptions and What You Need to Know for Na-adjectives

You can immediately modify な-adjectives into a negative value, past tense, or both, and join it with a noun. However, keep in mind that this is only applicable if you use casual auxiliary verbs.

Here are a few examples:

元気じゃない人
Genki ja nai hito. (Correct)

元気じゃありません人
Genki ja arimasen hito. (Wrong)

元気だった人
Genki datta hito. (Correct)

元気でした人
Genki deshita hito. (Wrong)

Another thing to keep in mind is an exception: the Japanese adjective 同じ (onaji), which means “the same”. Even though it is technically a な-adjective, you will have to remove the な when you combine it with a noun.

君は僕と同じな背の高さです。(Wrong)
Kimi wa boku to onaji na se no takasa desu.
You are as tall as I am.

君は僕と同じ背の高さです。(Correct)
Kimi wa boku to onaji na se no takasa desu.

Learning to use and modify Japanese adjectives can be tricky, especially with the exceptions and grammar rules to remember. However, mastering the distinction between い-adjectives and な-adjectives will help you add more color and detail to your sentences.

Once you’ve learned some Japanese adjectives, we recommend practicing them with immersive Japanese listening conversations. Our Japanese podcasts are a great way to do this. Additionally, the NHK World Japan Audio Shows offer excellent listening practice for learners at any level.

Turning Adjectives into Adverbs in Japanese

In Japanese, adjectives can turn into adverbs and are actually commonly used as adjectives. Conjugating adjectives into adverbs differs depending on whether it is an い-adjective or な-adjective. Let’s take a look at some examples to dive into how it works.

1. Using い-adjectives as Adverbs

To use い-adjectives as adverbs, you must conjugate い into く. For example, to use the adjective 早い (hayai), or quick, as an adverb, you conjugate it into 早く (hayaku) and place it before a verb. Here’s how it works:

早い (hayai) → 早く(hayaku)

Example:

もうすぐ会議があるので、早く食べないといけないです。

Sugu kaigi ga arunode, haraku tabenai to ikenai desu.

Because I have a meeting soon, I have to eat quickly.

2. Using な-adjectives as Adverbs

To use な-adjectives as adverbs, you don’t have to conjugate the word at all, and in many cases, you can just add the word right before the verb. For example, you can say たくさんを食べた (takusan tabeta) to say “I ate a lot.” 

But in many other cases, you would need to attach the particle に to the adjective. For example, if you want to say “please go home safely,” you would say 安全にかえってください (anzen ni kaete kudasai), meaning please go home safely. 

Using Adjectives as Nouns in Japanese

You can also use adjectives as nouns in Japanese, and it’s quite common; we do it quite often in English, like when we say “many will be there” or “few have visited.” In Japanese, using adjectives in this way might be even more flexible. So, let’s see how it works between い and な adjectives.

1. Using い-adjectives as a Noun

To use an い-adjective as a noun, you just need to conjugate the い into く, just like you would for adverbs. Then, the word can operate just like a noun and can be used as the subject or object of the sentence. 

Example 1:

近い (chikai) → 近く(chikaku)

近くが見える

Chikaku ga mieru

I can see the close one.

Example 2

遅い (osoi) → 遅く(osoku)

いつも遅くのはジョンです。

Itsumo osokuno wa jon desu.

The one who is always late is John.

2. Using な-adjectives as a Noun

Using a な-adjective as a noun is quite simple and doesn’t need any conjugation. You would just simply need to attach the correct particle to have the adjective operate like a noun. 

Example:

たくさんがパーティーに来ました。

Takusan ga paatii ni kimashita.

Many came to the party. 

Conclusion: Adjectives are the Building Blocks of Japanese

Adjectives are what allow us to describe different things when we make sentences in Japanese. Whether you need to specify that something is blue, green, quiet, or loud, or if a person is sweet, strict, nice, or friendly, you need to use adjectives. In Japanese, they can be used very flexibly, even as adverbs or adjectives. 

So, try to remember as many adjectives as you can to add to your Japanese arsenal to describe the world around you or give details when explaining an experience!

Learning Japanese? Let’s Make It Easy

Studying Japanese doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Whether you’re starting out or advancing, with the right class, becoming confident in speaking is easier than you think.

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FAQ

What’s the difference between い-adjectives and な-adjectives?

い-adjectives directly modify nouns and change form based on tense, while な-adjectives require the particle な before a noun and use auxiliary verbs to change tense.

Can I use い-adjectives and な-adjectives interchangeably?

No, they follow different grammatical rules. Make sure to use them appropriately based on the sentence structure.

What are the exceptions to na-adjectives?

While most な-adjectives follow a consistent rule, there are a few notable exceptions to keep in mind:

• きれい (kirei) – Meaning “pretty” or “clean,” this adjective ends with い but is still considered a な-adjective. It requires the particle な when used before a noun (e.g., きれいな花 – a pretty flower.
• きらい(kirai) – Meaning “hate” or “dislike,” this adjective also ends in い but functions as a な-adjective. It uses the な particle when modifying a noun (e.g., きらいな食べ物 – a disliked foods.
• おなじ (onaji) – Meaning “same,” this adjective is usually a な-adjective, but when modifying a noun, the な particle is often omitted (e.g., 君は僕とおなじ背の高さです – You are the same height as me.
• だめ (dame) – Meaning “no good” or “unacceptable,” this adjective doesn’t require な when used before a noun in many cases (e.g., だめなこと – “a bad thing”).

Downloading and using Anki decks can be one of the most effective and easiest ways to learn Japanese. Anki is a free, open-source flashcard program that uses a spaced repetition system (SRS), allowing you to revisit new vocabulary repeatedly but in a programmed time frame. Through this, you can spend more time on words you have a harder time remembering and less on easier ones.

Though Anki is extremely versatile, we strongly recommend Anki to learn new Japanese words and building vocabulary over time. Still, when you are just starting out, you should use pre-made Anki decks. Once you know your learning preference, you can then customize it. Anki decks can easily be downloaded from the Anki website.

So, what are the best options? Check out our recommendations for the 15 best Japanese Anki decks below!

What is Anki?

Anki is a flashcard app that uses spaced repetition, a learning technique that shows you cards at increasing intervals based on how well you remember them. It’s used by a wide range of people, from med students to language learners. Basically, it is used by anyone who needs to memorize a large amount of information over time.

An Anki deck is essentially a set of flashcards grouped together. You can have multiple decks for different topics (e.g., “JLPT N5 Vocabulary”, “Medical Terminology”, “GRE Prep”). Each card typically has a front (question, prompt) and a back (answer). You can also include audio, images, and formatting.

How to choose the right Anki deck?

When learning Japanese with Anki, the front of the card is often the Japanese word, and the back shows the English meaning. As you become more familiar with Anki, you can start customizing your cards to suit your learning style. You can add audio, pictures, tags, custom fields, or other types of media to make your flashcards more engaging and effective!

With there being hundreds of Japanese Anki decks for learning, choosing the right one can be difficult and confusing. This is especially so for first-time users of Anki who are still figuring out how to use the software. It’s not hard when you get used to it, but we don’t want to add more to your full bowl.

On the Anki website, there is a section under ” Popular categories: Languages ” where you can see links to landing pages for different languages.

Click on the “Japanese” link, and it will bring you to a page full of different Japanese Anki decks. If you already have a topic in mind that you want to study, there is a manual search option in the top right corner.

If you have a problem choosing, click on each Anki deck and look at the reviews. A rating column also shows the ratings of the different tabs.

Once you have chosen the Anki Deck you want to use, simply click the “download” button to open Anki on your device.

Before that, head to our Japanese learner’s guide to starting Anki flashcards.

Best Japanese Anki Decks

1. Japanese Core 2000 Step 01 Listening Sentence Vocab + Images

Japanese Core 2000 Step 01 is one of the most popular and used Anki decks to memorize Japanese vocabulary. Specifically customized for beginners to Japanese, this Anki Deck has over 2,000 Japanese words for you to learn.

The contents in this Anki deck are well-structured, with images provided for easier memorization. The deck contains 405 audio files and 235 images, and example sentences for the Kanji.

It would probably take 2-3 months to complete this Anki deck if you practice consistently. As we know, consistency is the number one thing for improvement.

Visit the Anki website to download the Anki Deck onto your computer. The flashcards will appear on your screen once the deck is imported to your device. You can edit the cards by clicking on the “edit” button.

Download Anki deck here.

2. Japanese Core 2000 Step 02 Listening Sentence Vocab + Images

Japanese Core 2000 Step 02 is the second part of the Japanese Core 2000 Anki series. Make sure you start with Step 01 before you visit Step 02. Still, for beginners, this Anki Deck is a more advanced version with audio files, English translations, and images provided in the flashcards.

There are Japanese Kanji, verbs, and example sentences that are used in everyday life. This Anki Deck has over 404 Audio files and 236 Images.

Similar to Step 01, it would probably take you 2-3 months to complete this Anki Deck if you practice consistently.

Visit the Anki website to download the Anki deck onto your computer. The flashcards will appear on your screen once the deck is imported to your device. You can edit the cards by clicking on the “edit” button.

Get Anki decks here.

3. Japanese Basic Hiragana

If you have already learned the basic Japanese writing system, you can skip this. But if you are just a beginner, we recommend Japanese Basic Hiragana. Unlike the Japanese Core Series Anki Deck, this Anki deck does not have any pictures, but it is particularly helpful if you want to remember hiragana characters.

The deck was modified from the TextFugu Hiragana deck and only includes 46 basic audio hiragana character files.

However, you can type in romaji under particular hiragana characters. You can easily complete it as the contents are basic and simple for beginners. Since there are only 46 notes, the deck is a good refresher for new learners.

Since it only covers fundamentals, it does not have all the hiragana characters. So, you might want to move on to more advanced Japanese Anki Decks once you have completed the Deck.

Download Anki deck here

4. JLPT Grammar from Jtest4you

This is the all-in-one Anki deck if you want to focus on grammar. The Jtest4you Anki Deck is a JLPT grammar-focused flashcard. It includes example sentences, romaji, and translations that can be added to the front and back of the flashcards.

What’s good about this Anki deck is that the vocabulary is divided into different JLPT levels, so you can study words relevant to your current situation.

In most flashcards, the front would be the kanji and example sentence in Japanese, while the back of the flashcard would be the furigana, romaji, and English translation.

Visit the Anki website to download the Anki deck onto your computer. The flashcards will appear on your screen once the deck is imported to your device. You can edit the cards by clicking on the “edit” button.

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5. Japanese Visual Novel, Anime, Manga, LN Vocab – V2K 

If you are interested in Japanese visual media, Japanese Visual Novel, Anime, Manga, LN Vocab – V2K Anki Deck could be perfect for you.

This Anki Deck has over 2,000 common words in popular Japanese media, such as novels, anime, and manga. In Japanese media, words and phrases often serve various contexts and examples.

Hence, this Anki deck helps users link the particular kanji and familiar English translations.

It is a beginner-focused Anki deck where users will learn kanji and furigana, along with a pre-recorded audio that can be found at the front of the flashcard.

You will be able to pick up heaps of useful words, such as 全然駄目だ、結構, that are frequently mentioned in anime and manga. It will also significantly improve your reading and listening comprehension.

Visit the Anki website to download the Anki deck onto your computer. Once the deck is imported to your device, the flashcards will appear on your screen. You can edit the cards by clicking on the “edit” button.

Download Anki deck here.

6. Katakana Reading Practice

Katakana Reading Practice is an Anki deck that acts as a guide for beginners in learning katakana. With over 1,000 words and phrases in Katakana, the contents of the flashcard focus a lot on foreign loanwords, proper names, onomatopoeia, animal names, as well as brand names.

Many users of this Anki deck have found it very helpful in improving their speed and confidence in speaking and writing katakana.

English speakers might think it’s unnecessary to learn katakana. After all, they are loan words from English — but you’d be surprised by some Japanese katakana words that don’t sound similar to the original English words.

Visit the Anki website to download the Anki deck onto your computer. Once the deck is imported to your device, the flashcards will appear on your screen. You can edit the cards by clicking on the “edit” button.

Download Anki deck here.

7. Official KanjiDamage deck

KanjiDamage is the ultimate deck to learn Kanji with the KanjiDamage method, which is basically learning Kanji using mnemonics. There are over 1,700 Kanji to learn from in this Anki Deck.

You will learn a mix of commonly used Kanji as well as uncommonly used Kanji that have been put in random order. The stroke order of how to write the Kanji is also included.

If you want to learn kanji frequency instead, check out another Anki Deck made by the same user, which is a reordered version of this Anki deck. It has been reordered based on the frequency of each Kanji character so that you can more common characters first, followed by the uncommon ones.

Visit the Anki website to download the Anki Deck onto your computer. Once the deck is imported to your device, the flashcards will appear on your screen. You can edit the cards by clicking on the “edit” button.

Download Anki deck here.

8. All-in-One Kanji Deck

Looking to learn pretty much everything there is to learn about Kanji? All in One Kanji deck is one of the most comprehensive and informative collections out there. It is perfect for those looking to practice writing the Kanji and gaining more knowledge on kanji meaning and readings.

The Anki deck is nicely formatted. With over 10,000 flashcards, you will learn how to read each kanji in onyomi, kunyomi, and nanori as well as learn the number of strokes and stroke orders.

It also teaches you how each Kanji has been changed from its original Chinese elements to become a Japanese character.

Download Anki deck here.

9. Tofugu: Learn Hiragana Deck

This Anki deck, created by Tofugu, helps you learn Hiragana through Mnemonics. In this Anki Deck, you will be able to learn the basics of Japanese pronunciation.

Download Anki deck here.

10. Tofugu: Learn Katakana Deck

This Anki deck, created by Tofugu, helps you learn Katakana through Mnemonics. In this Anki Deck, you will be able to learn the basics of Japanese pronunciation.

Through descriptive and animative mnemonics, they make learning fun and interactive, and are a perfect method for memorization! Visit the Anki website to download the Anki Deck onto your computer. Once the deck is imported to your device, the flashcards will appear on your screen. You can edit the cards by clicking on the “edit” button.

Download Anki deck here.

11. Japanese Course Based on Tae Kim’s Grammar Guide & Anime

This is a self-contained Japanese course for beginners, built around Tae Kim’s Grammar Guide, a popular free resource known for its clear explanations of essential grammar points. The creators also developed a companion Anki deck, making it easy to study and review.

The course places a strong focus on listening comprehension, using real anime scenes to reinforce learning. Each flashcard shows a Japanese phrase on the front, along with a video clip of the sentence used in an anime. The back of the card includes the English translation and a detailed grammar breakdown, helping learners understand both meaning and structure.

Download Anki deck here.

12. Genki 1 & 2 Kanji

If you’ve taken a Japanese class, chances are you’ve used the well-known Genki textbook series. This Anki deck is a simple but effective tool I created to help me learn how to write the kanji introduced in Genki I and Genki II.

The deck covers individual kanji characters from Lesson 3 to Lesson 23, following the exact order presented in the textbooks. Each flashcard shows the English meaning, along with the on-yomi and kun-yomi readings on the front, and the kanji character on the back.

It’s perfect for reinforcing writing practice and memorizing readings in context with the Genki curriculum.

Download Anki deck here.

13. Katakana Reading Practice

Reading katakana can be surprisingly challenging, even if you’ve already memorized the characters. Unlike hiragana, katakana is often used for foreign loanwords and names, which don’t always follow typical Japanese word structure. 

This Anki deck features 1,000 cards designed to help you read katakana with speed and confidence. It focuses on loanwords from English, German, French, Portuguese, Chinese, and more, along with wasei-eigo (English-inspired words made in Japan like salaryman). You’ll also find cards with onomatopoeia, company names, animal names, and other real-world katakana usage to give you the exposure you need.

Download Anki deck here.

14. Remembering the Kanji 1, 6th Edition (2200 Kanji)

This Anki deck includes all 2,200 kanji from the 6th edition of Remembering the Kanji 1 by James W. Heisig. It was created to offer a complete and accurate companion to the book, as many existing shared decks were either incomplete, based on older editions, or lacked consistency in format and content.

The deck focuses solely on kanji characters, excluding primitive elements that are not kanji themselves. Each card includes a link to an external website for stroke order diagrams, allowing for easy reference and writing practice. It’s an ideal tool for learners following the Heisig method who want a streamlined, comprehensive study aid.

Download Anki deck here.

15. All in One Kanji Deck

This comprehensive Anki deck includes the full set of 2,136 Jouyou Kanji — the official list of kanji designated by the Japanese Ministry of Education for daily use. These are the characters taught in Japanese schools and used in newspapers, books, and official documents. In addition to the Jouyou Kanji, the deck covers JLPT N5 to N1 kanji, 861 Jinmeiyou Kanji (used primarily in names), the 2,500 most frequent kanji, 3,007 kanji from Heisig’s Remembering the Kanji, and more.

Download Anki deck here. 

16. Full Japanese Study Deck

The Full Japanese Study Deck consists of everything a Japanese learner would want, from JLPT-categorized vocabulary and kanji to additional words. The card is designed simply. You can go through the subdeck, which contains the vocabulary and kanji, one by one. (vocab and kanji) one by one.
It can be considered a “core deck” as well, as it contains common/essential words and kanji used in everyday Japanese (both in real life and in anime/manga). You can also find other subdecks, like the “ready-made mining material” subdecks, where all cards are suspended by default, and “reference material” subdecks for a quick search when you need to look up radicals, kana, and kanji.

Each card contains rich, detailed information: the English meaning, readings (onyomi, kunyomi, and nanori), stroke count, stroke order, and an example compound word. It also includes kanji classification levels such as JLPT level, Jouyou grade, and usage frequency.

Download the Anki deck here.

Should You Learn Japanese with Anki?

Yes, Anki is a great tool for memorizing vocabulary and kanji, but just like with learning any other language, it should not be your only resource! While you can embed audio recordings and reading passages into Anki to help with listening and reading, it is great for theory but not practice. For example, to learn how to speak, the best way is to actually practice speaking, either alone or with a partner.

If you are self-studying Japanese, Anki is definitely one of the best ways to build vocabulary over time, but don’t forget to mix it with other resources too!

Take Your Anki Learning to The Next Level!

Anki is incredibly powerful for building vocabulary and strengthening your memory. But just like any learning process, the best way to truly learn Japanese is through immersion. That means speaking with native speakers, practicing conversations out loud, writing actively in Japanese, and so much more.

These are experiences you simply can’t get from Anki alone. That’s where Coto Academy comes in.

Since 2000, Coto Academy has been helping students learn natural, real-life Japanese through conversation-focused lessons. With campuses in Tokyo and Yokohama, plus a thriving online school, Coto offers an immersive learning environment wherever you are. You won’t just learn kanji, grammar, and vocabulary. You’ll learn how to use them in real situations, right away.

Why join Coto Academy?

• School locations in Shibuya, Minato, Iidabashi, and Yokohama, plus a fully online Japanese language school, so that you can learn anywhere, anytime!
• Small classrooms with only up to 8 students for personalized support
• Professional native Japanese teachers, all trained to help you succeed
• Over 60 different Japanese classes across 18 levels, tailored to your needs

You can explore our courses and talk with our staff. No string attached. We just want to help you learn Japanese,

FAQ

What is Anki?

Anki is a powerful flashcard app that uses spaced repetition to help you memorize information more efficiently. For Japanese learners, it’s especially useful for retaining kanji, vocabulary, grammar points, and listening comprehension.

Can I customize the Japanese Anki deck?

Yes! Anki is very flexible—you can edit cards, add audio, images, mnemonics, or even create your own card types to match your study style.

What’s included in this Japanese Anki deck?

That depends on the deck, but typically you’ll find:

• Listening and reading practice (optional with media decks)
  Some decks are based on popular resources like Genki, Tae Kim, or Heisig, and include JLPT-level tagging (N5 to N1).
• Kanji cards (with meanings, readings, stroke order, and examples)
• Vocabulary cards (with context sentences and audio)
• Grammar explanations

Ready to start learning Japanese with Anki, or by yourself? You might want to check out:

• Anki Add-ons You Need to Have

The question that perplexes all Japanese learners at the beginning: Why is ha (は) read as wa in Japanese, sounding exactly the same as わ? We all thought Japanese phonetics were pretty straightforward, but just when you think you’ve nailed the hiragana and katakana writing systems, you come across this conundrum. 

Of course, once you’re used to reading, writing, and speaking Japanese, this problem is less of a real concern and more of an annoying tick. It doesn’t matter. It is what it is. No one really knows the answer, right? The same thing goes for ​へ (he), which is sometimes pronounced as ‘e’, and を (wo), which is always pronounced as ‘o’.  

But exploring the cultural significance and history of Japan can help you better understand the language. And if you’re left exasperated by the cookie-cutter answer, we’re here to give you a deep dive into the complex world of the Japanese language and linguistic evolution.

The Short Answer to Why We Pronounce Ha (は) as Wa (わ)

In grammar, は marks the topic of a sentence and is pronounced “wa” instead of “ha.” This is a special rule from classical Japanese that stuck — even though it’s written は, it’s spoken as “wa” when used as a particle.

Let’s take a look at three examples first, containing both the Japanese letters は and わ. 

おはようございます。
Ohayou gozaimasu. 
Good morning.

今日はいい天気ですね。
Kyou wa ii tenki desu ne. 
The weather is good today.

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

You may have pronounced the は and わ differently, or even interchangeably. You reflectively say kyou wa instead of kyou ha. Ohayou instead of owayou. And that’s great. That means you already know the proper Japanese phonetics. 

So did the sounds of these particles change since the spelling was set down? Or were the spellings intentionally chosen for some reason? Are there any other irregular kana spellings omitted?

The short answer is simple, really: if the は is used as a Japanese particle, it is pronounced as ‘wa’.  The particle は is the topic particle that identifies the topic of your sentence. 

If it’s used to build a Japanese word, as adjectives, adverbs, nouns, or even names, it goes back to its original pronunciation: ha. 

This is why the word おはようございます, which contains は, retains the typical ‘ha’ pronunciation. In the second and third sentences, は is the particle to help make the subject stand out: My name is Coto. Today is good weather.

The same thing for the character へ. Used in words, it is pronounced: “he”. When it’s a particle, it is pronounced: “e.” 

The Evolution of Japanese Language Phonetics: Wa and Ha

The particle は is still pronounced “wa” because it’s a historical spelling rule that dates back to classical Japanese. Over time, the pronunciation of Japanese sounds evolved, but a few traditional particles kept their old spellings. While most words were updated to match modern pronunciation, particles like は (wa), へ (e), and を (o) kept their original written forms for grammatical consistency — a linguistic “fossil” from Japan’s past.

If you’re still unsatisfied with that answer, we get it. Why is the は  particle specifically an exception? How did the sound and rule evolve into what they are in the present day? That short explanation might have just opened more doors to even more questions. 

The truth is, discrepancies between spelling and pronunciation are common, no matter the language. You’ll probably notice it in English more than in Japanese. Take the word tongue or island, for example. The Japanese language is no different, although the fact that the current Japanese spelling is almost completely phonemic makes anomalies like this stand out more. 

Only a handful of traditional spelling quirks remained, and using は for the particle that is pronounced wa is one of them.

In fact, this is what you need to know: just like society in general, language is ever-changing, and the sounds made by characters will shift over time. 

In the early history of Japanese (before 800 BC), the modern は  row of consonants, comprised of は, ひ, ふ, へ, ほ, were pronounced with ‘P’ as pa, pi, pu, pe, po. 

Enter the Nara Period (710 to 794). The ‘P’ sound underwent another change, shifting to a softer F sound: fa, fi, fu, fe, fo. This pronunciation stayed until the 16th century, judging from the transcripts made by the Portuguese of Japanese words that use the letter F where we would use H today.

For example, take the Japanese word for “mom”: 母. Today, it’s spelled as はは and pronounced as haha. In the old Japanese, the word is pronounced as fafa. 

After the Nara Period came the Heian Period (794 to 1185), where we see another shift: the F sound changed to W, but with a catch: the sound altered only when there was another vowel and when it was not at the beginning of the word.

The pronounciation changed from:

は    ひ    ふ    へ    ほ 
ha hi hu he ho

to:

は    ひ    ふ    へ    ほ 
ha hi hu he ho

This led to a verb such as 買う (買フor kafu in old Japanese) to be read as Kau (stemmed from kawu). The negative form of this verb underwent the same changes: instead of kapanai, it became kawanai.  

母 turns into fawa. The word for river, once pronounced as kafa, became the modern-day kawa. 

This marked the beginning of the transition where は is pronounced as わ. The particle は, which regularly appears after a vowel, was soon normalized as wa.

Eventually, in the Edo Period (1603 to 1867), people from various regions of Japan start to gather in Edo (the old Tokyo), This resulted in various dialects mixing and diluting. Eventually, the ‘F’ sound changed again to the H sound. 

Now, the 母 finally settled to its modern pronunciation that we know today: haha, spelled as はは. However, at that time, despite the new pronunciation, the words still used the old kana that represented the old pronunciation. 

This was the main linguistic problem. Up to World War 2, although the changes from the initial P sound to W sound were then widely accepted, the people still used historical usage. 

This meant 買う was still written 買フ (kafu) and 買わない was written as 買ハナイ (kahanai). Of course, the lack of standardized writing meant there was still a lot of confusing spelling. 

The Japanese Language Reform Changes Writing and Spelling

After World War 2, the Japanese government did a massive language reform to its writing and spelling rules to make things more even across the country. Remember the part where we said a lot of people from regional Japan were gathering in one capital? That was a huge wake-up call. So they decided to clean up the spelling and pronunciation of syllables. The official spelling of words needed to match the new pronunciation rules so that people wouldn’t think the word was supposed to be pronounced a different way. All ‘ha/は’ letters read as “wa” sounds were replaced with wa/わ. 川(かは) now was written as 川 (かわ). The kana へ, which was once pronounced e (now it’s he).

So Why Does The Particle Wa (は) Stick With The Old Spelling? 

The problem with change is that it’s usually easier said than done. Imagine this: close to a hundred million people in a country are following one unsaid linguistic rule. You can change the texts, rules, and writing across all books and paper, which in itself is already a mammoth task,  but you can’t change a society’s collective habit instantly. 

Now Japan has all these written texts where the wa ワ is written with the old Japanese rule: wa は kana. At the same time, the other は kana was now pronounced ha (ハ). 

And how do you make the entire nation write the wa は particle as wa わ? 

Simply put, it was too much trouble for Japan to try and make this change work — revamping the entire text, scripts, and literature for two particles was not worth it. The particles were excepted because many felt that changing these exceedingly common spellings would confuse people.

There you have it: up until today, we are saying the は particle according to the modern-day Japanese pronunciation, but the reason why it’s still spelled as ‘ha’ は and not わ is because we are still sticking to its traditional spelling. 

Modern pronunciation. Traditional spelling. Remember that.

Let’s Get Straight to The Point: Why Ha (は) Is Read as ‘Wa’

To sum up, は is pronounced as わ because the transcript reflects a pronunciation that did not change during the language reform. The sound わ  used to be written は in old kana usage in some cases. Old kana usage was much more irregular than it is nowadays. 

At that time, it was decided that for the particles alone, the same letters that had been used should continue to be used even though they are different from the actual pronunciation. 

Other Japanese Particles: Why を Is Read as “O” and へ as “E”

It’s the same thing with the readings for the particles へ and を, too. The modern sound え used to be written as へ in some cases and お as を. Of course, pronunciation varies, and sometimes you can hear a clear difference between お and を, for instance. Still, in all words, besides the particles, the old pronunciation differences have disappeared as time has passed.

There is an exception to the “wa” rule besides the Japanese particle, though. When は is used as the last letter of the greeting phrase, it follows the sound of a ‘wa’ particle. 

こんにちは
Actual spelling: Konnichiha.
Pronunciation: Konnichiwa

こんばんは
Actual spelling: Konbanha
Pronunciation: Konbanwa. 

Original Kana	Pronunciation (Before Reform)	Modern Pronunciation	Modern Spelling	Example Word	Meaning
は (ha)	“wa” (in certain words)	wa	わ	かわ (川)	river
へ (he)	“e” (as a particle)	e (when a particle)	へ (unchanged)	学校へ行く	go to school
を (wo)	“o”	o	を (unchanged)	パンを食べる	eat bread

To Sum It Up

There you have it: the core reason behind this ‘problem’ is simply because Japan never bothered to fully fix the two particles they spelled “wrong”. Instead, they went the easy route and deemed it the official, right way to do it. Problem solved.

The good news is that you’ll only have to deal with these in hiragana. Katakana is almost exclusively for foreign words, so you’re not really going to see particles written in katakana. 

Want to learn more about the Japanese language? Head to Coto Academy

Like what you read? We have tons of fun, easy-to-read learning content that makes your Japanese studies less like a study. But if you want more support from a native teacher, connect with friends who share the same love for the Japanese language and study in a classroom, Coto Academy is your choice.

We offer a relaxed, cozy learning environment for students of all levels. Join our intensive Japanese course or part-time intensive courses!

FAQ

Why is the hiragana “は” pronounced “wa” in some sentences?

In Japanese, when “は” is used as a particle to mark the topic of a sentence, it is pronounced “wa.” This is a special grammatical rule, not a mistake or typo.

Why does Japanese use “は” instead of just writing “わ” for the particle?

It’s a result of historical spelling. Hundreds of years ago, Japanese pronunciation shifted over time, but the spelling for certain grammatical particles remained the same. The particle は was kept to preserve consistency in written grammar.

Why is "ha" used instead of "wa" in "Konnichiwa"?

In “こんにちは” (konnichiwa), the final character “は” is actually the topic particle, even though it looks like part of the word. The phrase is a shortened form of a longer greeting that originally ended in the particle は — so it’s pronounced “wa.”

Why do Japanese add “wa” at the end of sentences?

In casual or feminine speech, “wa” (わ, different from the particle は) can be added at the end of a sentence for emphasis or tone. It adds softness, emotion, or emphasis, often in a light or expressive way. Example: かわいいわ (kawaii wa) = “So cute!”

Out of all Japanese particles that exist, the particle を (pronounced “o”) might be one of the most straightforward. The を particle is used to make a word the direct object of the sentence or the thing that is acted upon by the verb. There is no direct equivalent in English since the language doesn’t use particles to indicate the object or subject of the sentence. 

So let’s explore how the を (o) particle works, its structure, and example sentences.

What is The Particle を (O)?

を is a Japanese particle that designates the direct object, the word that is affected by the verb. For instance, let’s look at a simple sentence:

魚を食べる 
sakana o taberu
I eat fish

The particle を makes 魚 (sakana), or fish, the direct object, meaning it’s the object being acted upon. In this case, it tells us that the fish is the subject. You can think of を as a grammatical tool that turns words into the things that verbs affect in the sentence. 

Is を Pronounced as “Wo” or “O”?

を is pronounced as o, as in “ohio.” But you might be wondering why you often see を being written as “wo” in English. This is because to input を on a keyboard using the Roman alphabet, you have to type “wo”. If you have typed in Japanese on a Roman alphabet keyboard, you probably know that some characters need to be typed differently from how they are actually pronounced.

Pronunciation:

を → o 

Inputting on a Roman character keyboard:

wo → を

Generally, even in modern Japanese speeches, Japanese speakers prefer to spell it out as “o”. The “wo” pronunciation can sometimes be heard in songs, but it is often used to add emphasis, much like in Japanese, where singers sometimes exaggerate the “R” vowels into “L”. 

Structure of The Particle を (O)

を is the only Japanese hiragana character that can only be used as a particle. In most cases, を attaches nouns in a sentence to designate them as the direct object. Take a look at the breakdown below:

Type	Structure
Noun	Noun + を

Usually, verbs come after を, following this typical sentence pattern:

Noun + を + verb

Example:

テレビを見る。
Terebi o miru。
I watch TV.

Changing Word Order with を

You are probably used to Japanese grammar, a typical order that generally goes as follows: subject → object → verb. However, it’s actually common to change the word order to create emphasis while still conveying the same meaning.

For example:

私がハンバーガーを食べた 
Watashi ga hanbaagaa o tabeta
I ate a hamburger

While this is a typical sentence structure in Japanese, grammar in Japanese is quite flexible and can be reordered like the following:

ハンバーガーを私が食べた
Hanbaagaa o watashi ga taberu
The hamburger, I ate it.

Despite the rearrangement of the words, “I ate a hamburger” is still clearly expressed. But, of course, the choice to rearrange the words might work to emphasize the subject or the object in certain contexts. 

Using を (O) at the End of the Sentence

It’s also common to use を at the end of a sentence as well, without saying a verb. Often, the verb is dropped since the meaning of the sentence is obvious based on the context. Let’s take a look at a couple of examples to understand how it works.

Example 1:

何を?
Nani o?
Of what?

This is a common question to ask when someone doesn’t specify. For instance, if someone says,昨日面白い映画を見た (omoshiroi eiga o mita) or “I watched an interesting movie yesterday,” you could respond with, 何を (nani o).

Example 2:

良いお年を
Yoi otoshi o
To a good new year!

This is a common Japanese New Year expression that roughly translates to “to a good new year.” The full expression includes the verb お迎えください (omukae kudasai).

Using を With Transitive vs Intransitive Verbs

One of the most common hurdles for new Japanese learners is deciding when to reach for the particle を (o) and when to let it go. The secret lies in the relationship between the subject and the action. To master this, we have to look at the world through the lens of transitive versus intransitive verbs.

Keep in mind that を can only be used with a transitive verb. Think of a transitive verb (他動詞; tadoushi) as an “active” force. These verbs require a direct object because someone or something is performing an action upon something else. 

Take the verb 開ける (akeru), meaning “to open.” When you physically reach out and move a door, you are performing a transitive action. In Japanese, you would say:

Transitive Verb:

ドアを開ける
Doa o akeru
Open the door

On the flip side, we have intransitive verbs (自動詞;  jidoushi). These verbs describe a state of being or a change that occurs naturally, without focusing on who started it. When using these, the direct object effectively disappears and becomes the subject of the sentence.

However, when it comes to intransitive verbs where there is no specified direct object, を is omitted. This is because を can only be used with verbs.  For instance, if you walk into a room and notice a door is already in the process of opening, you use the intransitive counterpart 開く (aku). Instead of using を, you switch to the subject particle が, resulting in:

Intransitive Verbs:

ドアが開く
Doa ga aku
The door opened

In this sentence, が is used instead of を, marking how ドア or “the door” became the subject when an intransitive verb is used. 

This is not to be confused with passive voice, where direct objects are still used with verbs like “eaten” or 食べられる (taberareru). Rather, intransitive verbs turn direct objects into subjects, which is why the Japanese particle changes. Let’s take a look at an example.

を vs Other Particles

Often, it feels like different particles can be used in similar situations, causing tons of confusion around deciding the correct particle to use. So, let’s explore how を is used compared to a couple of other particles.

1. を vs から (Kara)

を and から (kara) surprisingly have some overlap, specifically when discussing leaving a place. Say, you want to describe leaving your house. Which one should you use? Well, it actually depends on whether you are exiting or starting from your house.

Using を

When using を, the focus will be from the perspective of leaving your house. 

家を出る。
Ie o deru.
I leave the house.

Using から

When using から, the focus will be from the perspective of coming from your house.

家から出る。
Ie kara deru.
I come from my house.

2. を vs で (De)

を and で can also have some confusing overlap since sometimes you can use these particles to describe walking in a park, for example. But both of these particles express different situations.

Using を

When using を, you are describing the action of walking through a route rather than being at a location.

公園を歩く。
Kouen o aruku.
Walk through a park.

Using で

When using で, you are describing the location where an action is happening.

公園で歩く。
Kouen de aruku.
Walk in the park.

3. を vs は (Wa)

In a certain context, the particle は can replace を, but with a catch: when は (wa) replaces を (o), the meaning of your sentence shifts from a simple statement of fact to one of emphasis or contrast. In Japanese grammar, this is called topicalization. You are taking the “object” and promoting it to the “topic.”

Basically, you use を when you want to tell someone what you are doing as it is. You can replace it with は when you want to single out an object to compare it to something else or to emphasize that this is the specific thing you are talking about.

Why? When you switch to は, you are signaling to the listener: “Regarding this specific thing (as opposed to other things), here is the deal.” 

肉を食べます。
Niku o taberu
I eat meat.

When you replace the particle を with the same sentence, you add a new layer of context behind it.

肉は食べます。
Niku wa taberu
I eat meat (Speaking of meat, I eat it). 

We also swap to は when an object has already been brought up in conversation. If the object is what everyone is already looking at, it is no longer just an “object”. It is the topic

For instance, when your colleague is asking you about a report, they might ask:

レポートはどうですか？
Repooto wa dou desu ka?
How is the report?

In this case, when you want to answer, using を would feel slightly disconnected, like you’re introducing the report for the first time. Using は acknowledges that “the report” is the star of the current conversation.

レポートは書きました。
Repooto wa kakimashita.
As for the report, I wrote it.

Examples Sentences with を

Let’s take a look at some example sentences using を in different situations to really understand how this grammar tool works in actual spoken Japanese. Before that, check out the full vocabulary that appears in today’s examples at the table below.

Kanji / Writing	Furigana	Romaji	English
毎日	まいにち	mainichi	every day
日本	にほん	nihon	Japan
雑誌	ざっし	zasshi	magazine
読む	よむ	yomu	to read
大学	だいがく	daigaku	university
経済	けいざい	keizai	economics
勉強する	べんきょうする	benkyō suru	to study
公園	こうえん	kōen	park
歩く	あるく	aruku	to walk
階段	かいだん	kaidan	stairs
上る	のぼる	noboru	to go up; climb
橋	はし	hashi	bridge
上	うえ	ue	above; on top
たいてい	—	taitei	usually
朝	あさ	asa	morning
家	いえ	ie	house; home
出る	でる	deru	to leave

1. Direct Object (Most Common Use)

This is the most common and important use of を. It clearly expresses what you eat, read, watch, make, and much more. 

Example:

毎日、日本の雑誌を読む。
Mainichi, nihon no zasshi o yomu.
I read Japanese magazines every day.

2. With する (Suru) Verbs

When you use nouns with the verb する (suru), meaning “to do,” they become verbs. So, を marks what you’re doing.

勉強をする
Benkyou o suru
to study

However, in casual speech, を is often dropped to make the expression shorter, essentially transforming it into a single verb: 勉強をする (drop を) → 勉強する. This allows you to add other objects without making the sentence feel convoluted. 

Example:

大学で経済を勉強している。
Daigaku de keizai o benkyou shite iru.
I am studying economics at university. 

4. Using を for Movement Through Space 

を can also mark the place an action moves through, not just an object. You may think the particle で plays a similar role; however, で expresses destination. When using を, you express movement along a route or path, rather than the destination. 

This includes not only places like parks or roads, but also directional paths such as up, down, across, and along. Let’s take a look at some examples to get a better idea.

Example 1:

新宿の公園を歩く。
Koen o aruku.
I walk through the park in Shinjuku.

Example 2:

階段を上る。
Kaidan o noboru.
I go up the stairs.

Example 3:

橋の上を歩く。
Hashi no ue o aruku.
I walk across the bridge.

5. Using を with Leaving a Place

を is also used to describe leaving a place by pairing it with verbs like 出る (deru), which means “to leave.” You might be thinking that this is very similar to how the particle から (kara) is used. You’re completely right; however, there are some differences in nuance. 

You can think of using を to simply describe leaving a place. But when using から (kara), you are describing leaving or coming from a place.

Example:

たいてい、朝の9時から家を出る。
Taitei, asa no ku ji kara ie o deru.
I usually leave the house at 9 in the morning.

Conclusion

を (o) is an essential particle that is used to designate the word that is being affected by the verb in the sentence. It’s one of the building blocks of Japanese and is useful for letting the listener know, for instance, that you are eating the apple, りんごを食べる (ringo o taberu / I eat the apple), and not the other way around, りんごは食べる (ringo wa taberu / the apple eats)!

Learn Japanese with Coto Academy!

To really get a better idea of how to use を correctly in Japanese conversation, you should practice as much as possible. So, we highly recommend taking Japanese classes with us at Coto Academy, where we teach practical Japanese from practical everyday phrases to how to read and write Japanese you will see in everyday life. 

We will soon be opening a campus in Shinjuku and already have campuses in Shibuya, Minato, Iidabashi, and Yokohama. But, if you’re not in Japan, no worries! We also offer online classes! No matter where or how you decide to learn with us, we offer both intensive and flexible courses, which can be tailored to your Japanese level or your specific language goals. Sign up below to get started!

FAQ

What does the particle を mean in Japanese?

The particle を marks the direct object of a verb, or the word that is being affected by the verb. For example, 本を読む (hon o yomu), or read a book. を makes the word 本 (hon), or book, the direct object that is being “read” by the subject.

Is を always used for objects?

While its primary use is for designating objects, を can also be used for movement, which may not necessarily be an object. For instance, when describing a path or space you move through, you can say 公園を歩く(koen o aruku) or “to walk through the park.”

Can I drop を in casual speech?

It is quite common to drop を in casual conversation, for example, rather than saying ご飯を食べる (gohan o taberu), or I eat food, you can instead say ご飯食べる (gohan taberu).

Do all verbs use を?

No, not all verbs use を; some verbs use other particles like が, に, or で instead, based on the situation. For example, 日本語が分かる (nihongo ga wakaru), which means “to understand Japanese,” uses が, rather than を.

Want to learn more about Japanese particles? Read our guide on:

• Guide to Japanese Particle の (No): Functions, Use, Examples
• Beginner’s Guide to Japanese Particles
• Why Do We Pronounce Ha as Wa in Japanese?

It’s overwhelming to think about all the unique kanji you have to remember; however, there’s a little secret to making kanji much easier to remember called radicals. Let’s say it’s our radical solution to remembering kanji — no pun intended. Radicals are basically the building blocks of kanji; while there are seemingly endless amounts of unique characters, they are all combinations of radicals. 

Just remembering some of the most common radicals will allow you to memorize — and understand — thousands of kanji with a fraction of the effort and time. So, let’s break down how radicals work and how you can use them to remember kanji.

What Are Kanji Radicals?

Kanji radicals, or bushu (部首・ぶしゅ), are essentially components that make up a single kanji character; they can be thought of as a smaller part of a whole. Some radicals are kanji on their own and can be used to form other kanji. For example, 木 (ki) means tree on its own, but can be used as a radical. When combined with another radical, say 一 (ichi), meaning one, you create the character 本 (hon), meaning book.

木 (ki) + 一 (ichi) = 本 (hon)

But many kanji radicals cannot be used by themselves and must be used in conjunction with other radicals to form a kanji. For example, the radical, 儿, interpreted as “legs”, is only used as a component. So, you can use this radical in conjunction with other radicals or kanji, like 口 (kuchi), meaning mouth, to make the character, 兄, meaning older brother.

儿 + 口 (kuchi) = 兄 (ani)

Radicals are the common parts you can find in different kanji. While every kanji is unique, generally, there are a limited number of common radicals that you can quickly start to recognize. So, they are convenient patterns you can use to remember different kanji. 

If you need to review Japanese writing systems, check out our blog: Japanese Writing System Explained: Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana.

Why Should You Study Kanji Radicals?

Studying kanji radicals is helpful because radicals are like tiny building blocks that make up big kanji characters. When you learn the small pieces first, the big characters don’t feel so scary anymore. It’s easier to remember them because you can see how the parts fit together.

Radicals can also give you clues about what a kanji means, so you can sometimes guess the meaning even if you’ve never seen it before. Learning radicals makes reading and writing kanji much easier and a lot more fun.

Types of Kanji Radicals

There are 7 types of radicals categorized by their position, including left, right, upper left, bottom left, bottom, top, or middle. 

1. へん: Left

へん (hen) are radicals positioned to the left of the character. Certain radicals have specific forms when placed to the left, such as 人 (hito), or person, written as 亻 when positioned to the left of other elements.  

Example 1:
彳in 行く(iku): to go

Example 2:
亻(person) in 仕 (shi): official or civil service

2. つくり: Right

つくり (tsukuri) are radicals positioned to the right. Similar to left radicals, つくり radicals are often altered. For example, 刀 (katana), or sword, becomes 刂 when written to the right of other elements. 

Example 1:
刂(sword) in 別 (betsu): another

Example 2:
月(moon) in 明 (mei or myou): bright

3. かんむり: Top

かんみり (kanmuri) are radicals positioned at the top. 

Example 1:
宀 (roof) in 守る (mamoru): to protect

Example 2:
艹 (grass) in 花 (hana): flower

4. あし: Bottom

あし (ashi) are radicals positioned at the bottom.

Example 1:
儿 (legs) in 兄 (ani): older brother

Example 2:
心 (kokoro) in 急 (kyuu): sudden

4. にょう: Lower Left

にょう (nyou) are radicals positioned at the bottom left. 

Example 1: 
⻌ (walk) in 込む (komu): to crowd

Example 2:
廴 (long stride) in 建 (ken or tate): build

5. たれ: Upper Left

たれ (tare) are radicals located in the upper left. 

Example 1:
厂 in 原 (hara): original

Example 2:
疒 in 病 (byou): sick

6. かまえ: Enclosure

かまえ are radicals that enclose other characters.

Example 1:
門 (gate) in 問 (toi): question

Example 2:
口 (mouth) in 国 (kuni) country

Understanding Radical Variants

As you may have noticed, many radicals transform based on their position in the kanji character. For example, 人 (hito) becomes 亻when placed to the left. This is so the kanji character can feel more balanced. Often, radicals are simplified so they can fit neatly into the kanji character. 

It may be confusing at first, but don’t sweat! They are the same character, just with a simplified variation. Here is a table of some of the most common radical variations you will run into.

Radical (Full Form)	Variant	Meaning	Common Position	Example
水	氵	water	left	海, 洗
心	忄	heart/emotion	left	急, 性
心	⺗	heart	bottom	想
手	扌	hand	left	持, 打
言	訁	speech	left	話, 読
食	飠	food	left	飲, 館
金	釒	metal	left	鉄, 銀
糸	纟	thread	left	紙, 結
犬	犭	animal	left	独, 猫
示	礻	altar/spirit	left	社, 礼
衣	衤	clothing	left	被, 製
刀	刂	sword	right	別, 列

Strokes in Kanji vs Radicals

Kanji can get very complex, with many consisting of countless strokes. Strokes are counted by the number of times you have to lift your pen to complete writing a character. All Kanji follow a specific order of strokes, which generally go from left to right and top to bottom, and following the correct order will generally amount to a certain number of strokes. However, radicals are much simpler, consisting of fewer strokes. Which makes kanji a lot easier to remember. 

For example, the kanji 忘れる (wasureru), or “to forget”, is 7 strokes, but it’s only 2 radicals: 亡 (na) or “gone” and 心 (kokoro) meaning “heart”. So, if you remember these radicals, the kanji will be much easier to remember:

亡 (na) + 心 (kokoro) = 忘 (bou/wasu)

亡 only has 3 strokes, and 心 has around 4, which makes these radicals much easier to remember than characters with 7 or even more strokes directly.

Ways to Remember Radicals & Kanji

While radicals don’t have the same stroke counts as full kanji characters, they can really add up, with some radicals having up to 12 strokes. This might make radicals, themselves, difficult to remember. But unlike kanji, where every unique “word” has its own character, radicals are commonly found in each kanji, almost like letters. While letters in English represent specific sounds, radicals are associated with different meanings or even pictographic images. 

So, you can try to use the meanings or their associated images of radicals as mnemonic tricks to help you remember them!

1. Use The Meaning of Radicals to Remember Kanji

As we keep mentioning, radicals are the roots of kanji and so their meanings actually relate to the meaning of the kanji itself. Let’s take a look at a few examples to demonstrate what we mean.

Example 1:

水(mizu) also written as氵, meaning “water”, appears in: 

• 海 (umi) meaning “the sea”
• 洗 (sen) meaning “wash”

Both of these kanji are related to water, therefore, the character 氵, is used.

Example 2:

心 (kokoro) also written as忄, meaning heart appears in:

• 急 (kyuu), which means “hurry”
• 感 (kan), or “feeling”

You can think of how your heart beats when you’re hurrying or how you feelings are felt in the heart. 

Example 3:

手 (te) also written as 扌, meaning hand, appears in:

• 持つ (motsu) which means “to hold.” 

Since you have to hold things with your hand, it’s obvious why 扌is present in this kanji.

Example 4:

金 (kin) also written as 釒, meaning “metal”, appears in:

• 鉄 (tetsu) which means “iron”
• 銀 (gin) which means “silver”

Both of these characters are words for elements involving metal.

2. Use Radicals to Create Simple Visual Stories

Most radicals, and by extension kanji, have their simplistic images, but many times it might be difficult to see how the current characters look anything like their associated meanings. So, it might help to create some stories based on the meanings and their symbols.

Example:

木 (ki) means tree, which looks like a trunk with branches, and 人 (hito) means person, so you can think of the kanji character, 休み (rest) as:

休 (rest) = person (亻) leaning on a tree (木)

3. Give Radicals Personality

Instead of thinking of radicals as abstract symbols, try treating them like characters to help you remember them.

Example 1:

女 (woman) + 子 (child) → 好 (woman + child), this character means “like,” so you can think of it as the “love” a woman has for her child.

Example 2:

立 (stand) + 木 (tree) + 見 (see) →　親 (parent). So, you can think of this character as concerned parents standing on top of a tree to watch their child.

4. Use Shape-Based Mnemonics (Not Just Meaning)

Some radicals are easier to remember by their shape rather than their meaning. This is especially true for kanji whose shapes have nothing to do with their meanings. 

Example 1:

广 → looks somewhat like a roof hanging over something, think of a “building” such as in the kanji character 店 (mise) meaning store, which, of course, has a roof.

Example 2:

辶 → looks like someone walking, or just movement in general. This makes it easier to remember kanji characters like 込む (komu), meaning to crowd, or 逃げる (meaning to escape).

Whether or not the shapes and the actual meanings of the radical align does not matter. Just using any shape to help you remember them best is the goal!

The Most Common Radicals to Know

So, what are the most common radicals you should know? We provided a list of the most common radicals you will likely need to know for writing common kanji. We organized each table by the number of strokes of the radical.

Each table will show the different variants of each radical, their readings in furigana, romaji, position (left, right, top, bottom, bottom left, enclosure, or just single), and example kanjis the radicals are found.

After memorizing these common radicals, see how much easier it is to remember kanji by checking out our list of 100 Basic Kanji Every Beginner Should Know.

1 Stroke Radicals

Radical	Variant	Furigana	Romaji	Meaning	Position	Example
一	—	いち	ichi	one	single	一, 三, 本
丨	—	ぼう	bou	line	single	中
丶	—	てん	ten	dot	single	丸
丿	—	の	no	slash	single	久
乙	—	おつ	otsu	second	various	九
亅	—	はねぼう	hanebou	hook	right	了

2 Stroke Radicals

Radical	Variant	Furigana	Romaji	Meaning	Position	Example
人	亻	ひと	hito	person	left	体, 休
儿	—	にんにょう	ninnyou	legs	bottom	兄
冂	—	どうがまえ	dougamae	open box	enclosure	同
冖	—	わかんむり	wakammuri	cover	top	冠
刀	刂	かたな	katana	sword	right	列
力	—	ちから	chikara	power	right	動
匕	—	さじ	saji	spoon	right	化
十	—	じゅう	juu	ten	top	千
卩	⺋	ふしづくり	fushizukuri	seal	right	却

3 Stroke Radicals

Radical	Variant	Reading	Romaji	Meaning	Position	Example
土	—	つち	tsuchi	earth	left	地
女	—	おんな	onna	woman	left	好
子	—	こ	ko	child	left	字
宀	—	うかんむり	ukanmuri	roof	top	家
山	—	やま	yama	mountain	left	島
彳	—	ぎょうにんべん	gyouninben	step	left	後
艹	ー	くさかんむり	kusakanmuri	grass	top	花
⻌	辶	しんにょう	shinnyou	walk	bottom-left	道
廴	—	えんにょう	ennyou	long stride	bottom-left	延

4 Stroke Radicals

Radical	Variant	Reading	Romaji	Meaning	Position	Example
心	忄	こころ	kokoro	heart	left/bottom	思, 急
手	扌	て	te	hand	left	持
水	氵	みず	mizu	water	left	海, 洗
火	灬	ひ	hi	fire	bottom	熱, 然
木	—	き	ki	tree	single	林, 校
日	—	ひ	hi	sun	single	明, 時
月	—	つき	tsuki	moon	left	服, 期
王	—	おう	ou	king	left	現, 球
犬	犭	いぬ	inu	dog	left	独

5-6 Stroke Radicals

Radical	Variant	Reading	Romaji	Meaning	Strokes	Position	Example
目	—	め	me	eye	5	left	見
石	—	いし	ishi	stone	5	left	破
示	礻	しめす	shimesu	altar	5	left	社
禾	—	のぎ	nogi	grain	5	left	秋
皮	ー	けがわ	kegawa	skin	5	right	披, 彼
糸	纟	いと	ito	thread	6	left	紙
耳	—	みみ	mimi	ear	6	left	聞
肉	⺼	にく	niku	flesh	6	left	背
虫	—	むし	mushi	insect	6	left	蛇
衣	衤	ころも	koromo	clothing	6	left	被

7-8 Strokes Radicals

Radical	Variant	Reading	Romaji	Meaning	Strokes	Position	Example
言	訁	こと	koto	speech	7	left	話
貝	—	かい	kai	shell/money	7	left	買
足	—	あし	ashi	foot	7	bottom	路
車	—	くるま	kuruma	vehicle	7	single	転
酉	—	とり	tori	wine	7	left	酒
金	釒	かね	kane	metal	8	left	鉄
雨	—	あめ	ame	rain	8	top	電
青	—	あお	ao	blue	8	single	情
門	—	もん	mon	gate	8	enclosure	開

9-12 Stroke Radicals

Radical	Variant	Reading	Romaji	Meaning	Strokes	Position	Example
食	飠	しょく	shoku	food	9	left	飲
首	—	くび	kubi	neck	9	top	道
馬	—	うま	uma	horse	10	single	駅
高	—	たかい	takai	tall	10	top	高
魚	—	さかな	sakana	fish	11	single	鮮
鳥	—	とり	tori	bird	11	single	鳴
黒	—	くろ	kuro	black	11	single	墨
啇	—	てき	teki	divide	11	top	商
無	—	む	mu	nothing	12	bottom/full	無, 舞
黄	—	き	ki	yellow	12	single	横

Conclusion: Radicals Make it Easier to Remember Kanji

Kanji can feel endless and overwhelming, but radicals break them down into smaller parts that are easier to remember and are used in kanji repeatedly. While there still seems to be a lot to remember, they are still much fewer than kanji, but even radicals are made up of other radicals! As you start to remember them, you will start pick up on common patterns, how the same radicals are used in different characters. 

If you really want to learn kanji with more structure to reach your goals, we highly recommend taking Japanese classes with trained instructors who can tailor to your needs at Coto Academy. We offer practical Japanese courses that teach how to read and write kanji as well as practical language in daily conversation.

We have a new campus opening in Shinjuku, in addition to our current campuses located in Shibuya, Iidabashi, Minato, and Yokohama! And if you’re not nearby, you can take classes online! We offer a variety of courses that can adapt to your schedule and level. So, what are you waiting for? Sign up below!

FAQ

What are kanji radicals?

Kanji radicals (部首・ぶしゅ・bushu) are the building blocks of kanji. A radical is a component inside a kanji that is traditionally used to classify the character in dictionaries. Radicals often give clues about meaning and sometimes hint at category (like water, hand, speech, etc.).

How many kanji radicals are there?

Traditionally, there are 214 classical radicals, based on the Kangxi dictionary system from China. However, not all 214 radicals are commonly used today, with most people typically encountering 100 or fewer regularly. So, while 214 is the official traditional number, you don’t need to memorize all of them to read Japanese.

Do radicals have meaning?

Yes, most radicals have meanings associated with them, especially since many of them stand as kanji on their own. For example, 木 (ki) means tree or even 氵(mizu) means water and is used with water-related kanji characters. However, not every radical clearly reflects modern meaning. Some serve more structural or historical roles.

How many radicals can a single kanji have?

Traditionally, each kanji is assigned one official radical for dictionary classification. However, a kanji visually contains multiple components that operate as radicals. For example: 語 contains 言 (speech) and 五 (five). From a learning perspective, it’s helpful to think of kanji as being made up of multiple meaningful parts, even if only one is technically the radical by dictionary standards.

Should I learn radicals before starting to learn kanji?

Learning radicals before kanji can definitely help, but we recommend learning them side by side. By learning radicals alongside your kanji studies, you will start to pick up on more characters more effortlessly. New kanji will feel less different since you will be accustomed to some of the radicals that make them up. Also, remember, many radicals are also kanji themselves. 

You might be interested in reading: 

• Most Difficult Kanji Characters to Write
• The Best Way to Learn Kanji Effectively in 8 Steps
• Top 5 Kanji Writing Apps to Master Your Kanji Learning
• Kanji Worksheet Free PDF Download: JLPT N5 – Unit 1: Numbers
• Kanji Worksheet Free PDF Download: JLPT N5 – Unit 3: Body parts