< Japanese < Kana < Lessons < Katakana

Hiragana: [ a ] [ ka ] [ sa ] [ ta ] [ na ] [ ha ] [ ma ] [ ya ] [ ra ] [ wa, wo, n ] [ ゐ and ゑ (ancient hiragana in disuse) ]
Katakana: [ a ] [ ka ] [ sa ] [ ta ] [ na ] [ ha ] [ ma ] [ ya ] [ ra ] [ wa, wo, n ] [ ヰ and ヱ (ancient katakana in disuse) ]

In this lesson you are going to learn how to read and write タ、チ、ツ、テ、ト. Adding two small lines called 濁(だく)点(てん) dakuten, but commonly known simply as 点々(てんてん) tenten, meaning "two marks", causes clear sounds to change to their voiced sound. Thus, adding the 点々(てんてん) tenten marks to タ、チ、ツ、テ、ト will produce ダ、ヂ、ヅ、デ、ド.

Brush Stroke:
Sound:

ta

 da
Mnemonic:
  • Tart, with a bite taken, and icing.
  • Ta-da! A magic trick where the magician pulls something out of his jacket.
Example:
  • タイ (tai) Thailand
  • タクシー (takushii) taxi
  • タイトル (taitoru) title
  • ダイアモンド (daiamondo) diamond
  • ダイアル (daiaru) dial
  • ダイビング (daibingu) diving
Brush Stroke:
Sound:

chi

di
Mnemonic:
  • Chili noodles. Need a spoon, chopsticks, and drink for this spicy one.
  • Hey look! Somebody invented cheese on a stick!
Example:
  • チリ (chiri) Chile
  • チーズ (chiizu) cheese
  • チェス (chiesu) chess
  • ヒンヂ (hindi) hinge

Few words contain ヂ and none start with it.　ジ is used instead most of the time.

  • ドッヂボール (doddibooru) dodgeball
Brush Stroke:
Sound:

tsu

dzu
Mnemonic:
  • The grinning face of Sue (tsu), upright and not confused now that you remember her name.
  • A wave, with a mark to indicate the strength. ノ = no wave. ソ = soft wave. ツ = tsunami
Example:
  • ツバル (tsubura) Tuvalu
  • ツーリスト (tsuurisuto) tourist
  • ツイン (tsuin) twin

Few words contain the mora ヅ.

Brush Stroke:
Sound:

te

 de
Mnemonic:
  • Thé, with teabag and cup handle.
  • Someone started writing an E, then they changed their mind and wrote a T.
  • A telescope
Example:
  • テニス (tenisu) tennis
  • テレビ (terebi) television
  • テスト (tesuto) test
  • デンマーク (denmaaku) Denmark
  • デバッグ (debaggu) debug
  • デビル (debiru) devil
Brush Stroke:
Sound:

to

 do
Mnemonic:
  • You stubbed your toe on the letter T and knocked it on its side.
Example:
  • トイレ (toire) toilet
  • トースト (toosuto) toast
  • トマト (tomato) tomato
  • ドイツ (doitsu) Germany
  • ドア (doa) door (western style)
  • ドイリー (doirii) doily
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