A word formed by combining two or more kanji characters. Most Japanese vocabulary consists of compound words.

Two small marks (゛) added to certain kana to change their pronunciation, creating voiced consonants.

Small hiragana characters written above or beside kanji to show pronunciation. Commonly used in children's books and learning materials.

Loanwords from foreign languages, typically written in Katakana. Most commonly from English, but also Portuguese, Dutch, German, and French.

The first Japanese writing system, consisting of 46 basic phonetic characters representing syllables. Used for native Japanese words, grammatical elements, and when kanji is too difficult.

A small circle (゜) added to kana to change pronunciation. Only used with the は (ha) row.

Polite or respectful language used to show respect based on social hierarchy, age, or formality. Essential in Japanese communication.

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test, an internationally recognized certification of Japanese language ability. Levels range from N5 (beginner) to N1 (advanced).

The official list of 2,136 kanji designated for daily use by the Japanese Ministry of Education. Required for basic literacy in Japan.

The second Japanese writing system, with 46 basic characters representing the same sounds as Hiragana. Primarily used for foreign words, names, technical terms, and emphasis.

Chinese characters adopted into Japanese writing. Each character typically represents a concept or word and can have multiple readings (pronunciations).

Collective term for both Hiragana and Katakana, the two phonetic writing systems in Japanese.

The native Japanese reading of a Kanji character. Usually used when kanji stand alone or with okurigana. Often written in Hiragana in dictionaries.

The 1,026 educational kanji taught in Japanese elementary schools (grades 1-6). A subset of Jouyou Kanji.

The Chinese-derived reading of a Kanji character. Usually used when kanji appear in compound words. Often written in Katakana in dictionaries.

Hiragana characters that follow kanji to show grammatical function, verb conjugation, or adjective forms.

Small grammatical words (usually one or two characters) that indicate the relationship between words in a sentence. Essential for Japanese grammar.

The romanization of Japanese, using Latin alphabet letters to represent Japanese sounds. Helpful for beginners but not used in native Japanese writing.

A component of a kanji character that often indicates meaning or categorization. There are 214 traditional radicals.

The correct sequence for writing each stroke of a kanji or kana character. Following proper stroke order improves handwriting and character recognition.