Remlori › Japanese › Hiragana mnemonics: learn five sounds, then read three words

Hiragana mnemonics: learn five sounds, then read three words

Start with five kana, rather than memorising a whole chart at once. Listen to each sound, connect its cue, then combine the sounds into words.

ね (ne)

Net

See the cue picture

A white nylon soccer goal net with a bright teal steel frame, featuring a distinctive gold star patch stitched onto its upper left corner.

こ (ko)

Cone

See the cue picture

か (ka)

Car

See the cue picture

A glossy red retro compact car featuring a bubbly silhouette, oversized white-rimmed headlights, and a large golden-brass horn mounted on the side.

め (me)

Melon

See the cue picture

た (ta)

Taco

See the cue picture

Put the sounds into words

ね + こ gives ねこ (neko, cat). か + め gives かめ (kame, turtle). た + こ gives たこ (tako, octopus). The こ cue appears in both ねこ and たこ.

ねこ · cat

neko

Picture and sound mnemonic

A soccer NET scoops up an ice-cream CONE so hard that a purple CAT pops out of the top. — A soccer **Net** scoops up an ice-cream **Cone** so hard that a purple **Cat** pops out of the top.

ね (ne) → Net + こ (ko) → Cone

かめ · turtle

kame

Picture and sound mnemonic

A tiny CAR crashes into a giant MELON, popping out a startled TURTLE. — A tiny **Car** crashes into a giant **Melon**, popping out a startled **Turtle**.

か (ka) → Car + め (me) → Melon

たこ · octopus

tako

Picture and sound mnemonic

Balancing a crunchy TACO in one arm and a pink ice cream CONE in the other, a purple OCTOPUS stretches its tongue right across to lick the ice cream. — Balancing a crunchy **Taco** in one arm and a pink ice cream **Cone** in the other, a purple **Octopus** stretches its tongue right across to lick the ice cream.

た (ta) → Taco + こ (ko) → Cone

Read the three words

Choose a mode and a group. Each round has up to ten questions. Wrong answers go into a retry round.

Try these questions, then open the answers. The interactive version needs JavaScript.

Choose the reading of ねこ.
Answer and explanation
neko — ねこ (neko) — cat.
Choose the reading of かめ.
Answer and explanation
kame — かめ (kame) — turtle.
Choose the reading of たこ.
Answer and explanation
tako — たこ (tako) — octopus.

Keep going with the full hiragana chart and mixed reading practice.

Written by Remlori using examples and media from our beginner course. Alphabet reference: The Japan Foundation, Irodori Starter. Romanization approximates the sound; use the recordings when practising.

Learn your first sounds, words and sentences. Lesson 1 needs no account.

Start Japanese Lesson 1