How to say 'Alphabet' in Japanese | 五十音

word

Meaning

Alphabet

Reading

Kanji

五Five 十Ten 音Sound

Explanation

The Japanese noun '五十音 (ごじゅうおん)' refers to the 'Japanese syllabary' or 'alphabet'. It specifically denotes the systematic arrangement of the basic syllables in the Japanese language, which are organized in a grid known as the 'gojūonzu'. This grid includes all the basic kana characters (hiragana and katakana) arranged in a specific order. For example: Let's study the Japanese alphabet「五十音を勉強しましょう」(ごじゅうおんをべんきょうしましょう). The teacher wrote the Japanese alphabet on the board「先生は五十音を黒板に書きました」(せんせいはごじゅうおんをこくばんにかきました). The term is often used in the context of learning Japanese, as mastering the 五十音 is the first step in understanding the language.

Part Of Speech

noun

Kanji JLPT

Kanji Grade

Frequency

3147

Composition

kanji

Handwriting