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Hiragana guide

Contracted Sounds Guide

Contracted sounds combine one full-size kana with a small ゃ, ゅ, or ょ to make one blended sound.

Be careful with size

Small ゃ changes the sound

じや = ji + ya, two sounds

じゃ = ja, one sound

きや = ki + ya, two sounds

きゃ = kya, one sound

K-row

Base kana:

+=きゃ

romaji

kya

+=きゅ

romaji

kyu

+=きょ

romaji

kyo

Example word

きゃく

kyaku

guest / customer

S-row

Base kana:

+=しゃ

romaji

sha

+=しゅ

romaji

shu

+=しょ

romaji

sho

Example word

しゃしん

shashin

photo

CH-row

Base kana:

+=ちゃ

romaji

cha

+=ちゅ

romaji

chu

+=ちょ

romaji

cho

Example word

おちゃ

ocha

tea

N-row

Base kana:

+=にゃ

romaji

nya

+=にゅ

romaji

nyu

+=にょ

romaji

nyo

Example word

にゃん

nyan

meow

H-row

Base kana:

+=ひゃ

romaji

hya

+=ひゅ

romaji

hyu

+=ひょ

romaji

hyo

Example word

ひゃく

hyaku

one hundred

M-row

Base kana:

+=みゃ

romaji

mya

+=みゅ

romaji

myu

+=みょ

romaji

myo

Example word

みゃく

myaku

pulse

R-row

Base kana:

+=りゃ

romaji

rya

+=りゅ

romaji

ryu

+=りょ

romaji

ryo

Example word

りょうり

ryouri

cooking / cuisine

G-row

Base kana:

+=ぎゃ

romaji

gya

+=ぎゅ

romaji

gyu

+=ぎょ

romaji

gyo

Example word

ぎょうざ

gyouza

gyoza

J-row

Base kana:

じ combines with small ゃ, ゅ, and ょ to make じゃ, じゅ, and じょ.

+=じゃ

romaji

ja

+=じゅ

romaji

ju

+=じょ

romaji

jo

Example word

じゅう

juu

ten

B-row

Base kana:

+=びゃ

romaji

bya

+=びゅ

romaji

byu

+=びょ

romaji

byo

Example word

びょういん

byouin

hospital

P-row

Base kana:

+=ぴゃ

romaji

pya

+=ぴゅ

romaji

pyu

+=ぴょ

romaji

pyo

Example word

ぴょん

pyon

hop