Hiraganas

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

  1. The collection of basic Japanese phonetic characters used in writing, particularly referring to the more cursive syllabary as opposed to kanji or katakana ; plural form indicating multiple individual symbols or sets
  2. Groups of rounded, simple script symbols that represent each distinct sound in Japanese, specifically distinguishing them collectively from other character types like kanji ; signifying more than one such script element
  3. Sets of Japanese syllabic characters distinguished from other writing systems, each symbol marking a specific spoken unit ; referencing the plural, encompassing many of these phonetic glyphs

Etymology: The group of Japanese syllabary characters known as hiragana has a history that intertwines with the evolution of written Japanese. Hiragana emerged during the Heian period (794–1185 CE) as a simplified and more cursive script derived from the more complex Chinese characters, or kanji. It was created to provide a phonetic system that could represent native Japanese sounds, making the written language more accessible, especially for women and others less familiar with the formal kanji script. Originally, hiragana was called "onnade," meaning "women's hand," because it was primarily used by court ladies who were often excluded from the rigorous Chinese learning reserved for men. This phonetic script allowed them to write diaries, poetry, and literature, notably works like "The Tale of Genji" by Murasaki Shikibu, which stand as some of the earliest examples of vernacular Japanese literature. The term itself is a compound of two Japanese words: "hira," meaning "ordinary" or "simple," and "gana," a shortened form of "kana," which broadly refers to syllabic scripts. This name underscores the script's role as a straightforward, everyday writing system in contrast to the complex and formal kanji. Over time, hiragana became firmly established alongside katakana (a more angular phonetic script) and kanji, forming the trio of writing systems that characterize modern Japanese. While katakana often serves to transcribe foreign words or emphasize terms, hiragana handles native grammatical elements and general text, reflecting its origin as a user-friendly, phonetic script born from the complex interplay of language and culture in medieval Japan.

Synonyms: hiragana characters