Hiragana Sprint

Three sittings to passive recognition. Ambiguous pairs flagged in amber.

Study: everything visible with mnemonic hints. Test: only kana shown — tap a card to reveal. Goal is recognition, not handwriting. Don't chase 100%: 80% is enough to start reading in the wild and let ambient exposure finish the job.

Session 1 · Vowels + K + S

あ
a
A with a loop (vs お)
い
i
two eels
う
u
mouth saying "oo"
え
e
exotic bird
お
o
tail on right (vs あ)
か
ka
kite with cross
き
ki
key, 2 crossbars (vs さ)
く
ku
cuckoo beak
け
ke
keg on its side
こ
ko
two coils
さ
sa
sign, 1 crossbar (vs き)
し
shi
she's fishing
す
su
swing with loop
せ
se
says "seh"
そ
so
zigzag sew

Session 2 · T + N + H

た
ta
T with blocks
ち
chi
mirrored さ, cheerleader
つ
tsu
tsunami wave
て
te
telegraph pole
と
to
toe with nail
な
na
nun + cross
に
ni
needle + thread
ぬ
nu
noodle, has tail loop (vs め)
ね
ne
tail loop (vs わ, れ)
の
no
no-entry sign
は
ha
1 bar (vs ほ)
ひ
hi
smile (hee hee)
ふ
fu
Mt. Fuji
へ
he
hill
ほ
ho
2 bars (vs は)

Session 3 · M + Y + R + W + N

ま
ma
mama with bun
み
mi
looks like 21 (mi)
む
mu
cow (moo)
め
me
eye, no tail loop (vs ぬ)
も
mo
fishhook + worms
や
ya
yak
ゆ
yu
unique fish
よ
yo
yo-yo on hook
ら
ra
rabbit ear
り
ri
reeds
る
ru
has loop (vs ろ)
れ
re
straight leg (vs ね, わ)
ろ
ro
no loop (vs る)
わ
wa
curved tail (vs ね, れ)
を
wo / o
particle only — person sitting
ん
n
final n, like lowercase n