inspire you to create your own mnemonic hints, in a fun and abstract way. Think creatively and enjoy the experience of learning more about kanji and the Japanese writing system.
Michael L. Kluemper
THE KANA: ひらがな HIRAGANA
A
あ is a swooshing set of strokes like the A in dAnce.
I
い is the shape of the sides of your mouth as you make a long E sound.
U
う is an ear with someone at the back of the class yelling “oo!”, “oo!” to answer a question.
E
え is a similar shape to the letter Z, but with the vowel sound found in the British pronunciation of “zEd”.
O
お can be pictured as an Oval planet in orbit.
KA
か looks like a KArate kick.
KI
き looks like a KEY turning in a lock.
KU
く is the mouth of a PaKUman.
KE
け is like the KE in basKEt.
KO
こ is the shape of the mouth of a hungry KOi fish.
SA
さ is like a SOck that might be better spelled as SAck.
SHI
し is like a fiSHIng hook.
SU
す has a loop in the second stroke and is long like a noodle in SOUp.
SE
せ - is in the shape of e and sounds like “e”(as in Egg) with an “s” in front.
SO
そ - is shaped like the end of a SOfa.
TA
た - sounds like the TA in a spinning TOp and looks like the lines it makes as it turns.
CHI
ち looks like a chicken chirping for her chicks but sounds like the first part of “CHEEks”.
TSU
つ is like a long TSUnami.
TE
て is like a TEble (table).
TO
と is one TOe in the air and the other straight ahead.
NA
な is a person about to tie a kNOt.
NI
に is like the side view of a KNEE.
NU
ぬ is like two long NOOdles floating in soup.
NE
ね looks like it’s made up of the two English letters that spell its pronunciation: n and an upside down e.
NO
の is similar to the symbol for NO in a smoking sign.
HA
は is like a Japanese boy in a HAt waving his HAnd saying “HAi!” to answer a question.
HI
ひ is shaped like a big mouth laughing: HI, HI, HI.
FU
ふ is like a person sneezing saying aaaaFU.
HE
へ is one HEck of a hill.
HO
ほ is like Santa waving and saying “HO HO HO!”.
MA
ま is like a MArshmallow making its way round and round on a skewer.
MI
み looks like the letter “m” and sounds like the ME in “MEdium”.