If you want to know how to say letters in Japanese, the right word depends on the meaning. For written characters, use 文字 (moji). For letters you write and send to someone, use 手紙 (tegami). If you mean the Japanese writing system, its three main scripts are hiragana, katakana, and kanji; see Japanese writing for their roles.
文字 (moji) means “letter” or “character.” 手紙 (tegami) means a written letter or correspondence. Japanese uses ひらがな (hiragana), カタカナ (katakana), and 漢字 (kanji) rather than a single alphabet like English.
- How Do You Say Letters in Japanese?
- Japanese Words for Letters and Characters
- Letters in Japanese: Quick Comparison
- Basic Japanese Characters: Hiragana and Katakana
- How to Pronounce Moji and Tegami
- Does Japanese Have an Alphabet?
- Example Sentences Using Letters in Japanese
- Frequently Asked Questions About Letters in Japanese
- Summary: How to Say Letters in Japanese
How Do You Say Letters in Japanese?
For letters as symbols used in writing, say 文字 (moji). This word covers written characters, including Japanese characters and letters of the English alphabet.
For a letter sent to a friend or family member, say 手紙 (tegami). These two words are not interchangeable: one describes writing symbols, and the other describes a written message.
Japanese nouns generally do not change their form to mark a plural. Depending on context, 文字 can mean “a character” or “characters,” and 手紙 can mean “a letter” or “letters.”
Meaning: Letter / Character / Letters / Characters
Japanese Words for Letters and Characters
Use 文字 (moji) as the general term for written characters. When discussing Japanese writing, it helps to name the specific script.
1. 文字 (Moji) — Letters / Characters
文字 (moji) refers to the symbols used to write a language. 日本語の文字 (nihongo no moji) means “Japanese characters.”
For letters of the English alphabet, you can say 英字 (eiji). The word アルファベット (arufabetto) means “alphabet” and is also used when referring to alphabetic letters.
2. ひらがな (Hiragana) — Hiragana Characters
ひらがな (hiragana) is a Japanese phonetic script with 46 basic characters in its modern standard set. Examples include あ (a), い (i), and か (ka).
Hiragana is used for grammatical endings, particles, and many words. It can also show the pronunciation of kanji. Beginners often start by learning this script.
3. カタカナ (Katakana) — Katakana Characters
カタカナ (katakana) is another phonetic script with 46 basic characters in its modern standard set. Its basic characters represent the same sounds as their hiragana counterparts: ア and あ, for example, both represent a.
Katakana is commonly used for foreign loanwords, foreign names, sound effects, and emphasis. For example, アニメ (anime) is written in katakana.
4. 漢字 (Kanji) — Kanji Characters
漢字 (kanji) are characters of Chinese origin used in Japanese writing. They carry meaning and often have more than one reading.
For example, 山 (yama) means “mountain,” and 水 (mizu) means “water.” The reading of a kanji can change depending on the word in which it appears.
5. 手紙 (Tegami) — A Written Letter
手紙 (tegami) means a letter written to someone. Use it for correspondence rather than for individual alphabet letters or Japanese characters.
手紙を書く (tegami o kaku) means “to write a letter.” For an email, メール (mēru) is the usual everyday word.
Letters in Japanese: Quick Comparison
← Swipe horizontally to see the full table →
| Japanese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 文字 | Moji | Letters / Characters | General term for written symbols |
| ひらがな | Hiragana | Hiragana | Phonetic script; grammar and many words |
| カタカナ | Katakana | Katakana | Phonetic script; loanwords, names, and more |
| 漢字 | Kanji | Kanji characters | Characters carrying meaning and readings |
| 英字 | Eiji | English alphabet letters | Letters such as A, B, and C |
| 手紙 | Tegami | A letter / Letters | Written correspondence |
Basic Japanese Characters: Hiragana and Katakana
The five vowel sounds are a useful place to start. Each has a hiragana form and a katakana form.
← Swipe horizontally to see the full table →
| Sound | Hiragana | Katakana | Approximate Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | あ | ア | “ah” |
| I | い | イ | “ee,” kept short |
| U | う | ウ | Close to “oo,” with less lip rounding |
| E | え | エ | “eh” |
| O | お | オ | A steady “oh,” without a final glide |
Next, learn groups such as か・き・く・け・こ (ka, ki, ku, ke, ko). Additional sounds use marks or combinations, such as が (ga) and きゃ (kya). The 46 basic characters are a starting set, not every written sound combination.
How to Pronounce Moji and Tegami
文字 (moji) has two short beats: mo-ji. As a rough English guide, say “moh-jee,” keeping both vowels short. The “j” is similar to the sound in “jeep.”
手紙 (tegami) has three short beats: te-ga-mi, approximately “teh-gah-mee.” Keep the rhythm fairly even rather than strongly stressing one part.
Does Japanese Have an Alphabet?
Japanese does not use a single alphabet equivalent to English A–Z. Its main writing system combines hiragana, katakana, and kanji, often within the same sentence.
Hiragana and katakana are commonly called syllabaries. More precisely, their basic symbols generally represent a short rhythmic unit called a mora, such as か (ka) or ん (n). Kanji represent meaningful elements of words rather than a fixed set of alphabet sounds.
ローマ字 (rōmaji) means writing Japanese with Latin letters. For example, nihongo is a romanized form of 日本語, meaning “Japanese language.” Rōmaji is useful for pronunciation guides, but it does not replace learning Japanese characters.
Example Sentences Using Letters in Japanese
These examples show the difference between characters, scripts, and written correspondence.
Meaning: What is this character?
Meaning: Please write it in hiragana.
Meaning: I will write a letter to a friend.
Frequently Asked Questions About Letters in Japanese
Tap a question below to see the answer.
How do you say letters in Japanese?
Use 文字 (moji) for letters or characters used in writing. Use 手紙 (tegami) for letters written and sent to someone.
What are Japanese letters called?
The general word is 文字 (moji), meaning “characters.” The three main scripts are ひらがな (hiragana), カタカナ (katakana), and 漢字 (kanji).
How many letters are there in Japanese?
There is no single total comparable to the 26 letters of English. Modern hiragana and katakana each have 46 basic characters, plus modified forms and combinations. Japanese also uses thousands of kanji.
What is the difference between hiragana and katakana?
Their basic characters represent the same set of sounds but have different shapes and uses. Hiragana appears in grammar and many words. Katakana commonly appears in loanwords, foreign names, sound effects, and emphasis.
Can you write English names in Japanese letters?
Yes. English names are usually represented in katakana based on their pronunciation. This is a sound-based adaptation, not a direct replacement of each English letter with one Japanese character.
How do you say write a letter in Japanese?
手紙を書く (tegami o kaku) means “to write a letter.” Here, 手紙 (tegami) refers to correspondence, not an individual written character.
Summary: How to Say Letters in Japanese
For letters in Japanese, use 文字 (moji) when you mean written characters and 手紙 (tegami) when you mean correspondence.
Japanese writing combines hiragana, katakana, and kanji. Start with the basic kana characters, such as あ・い・う・え・お, and learn which script is used in each context.
