Hiragana 1
Chapter 7 ยท Ta Chi Tsu
๐ธ The T Row Begins โ ใ ใก ใค
The third consonant row is t, with ใ (ta), ใก (chi) and ใค (tsu). Two of them break the pattern in romaji: they're chi and tsu, not ti and tu. By the end you'll know eighteen characters and be able to read your first set of numbers and opposites.
| a | i | u | e | o |
|---|
| (vowels) | ใ | ใ | ใ | ใ | ใ |
|---|
| k + | ใ | ใ | ใ | ใ | ใ |
|---|
| s + | ใ | ใ | ใ | ใ | ใ |
|---|
| t + | ใ | ใก | ใค | ใฆ | ใจ |
|---|
Eighteen characters known, twenty-eight to go. ใฆ and ใจ come in Chapter 8.
โจ Three New Characters โ ใ ใก ใค
ใ
ta
like "ta" in tar, short ("tah")
Memory hook: "ta-da!": a performer with arms out on the left, and a little flag on the right.
ใก
chi
like "chee" in cheese, short ("chee")
Memory hook: a cheerleader leaping, with a pompom held high.
ใค
tsu
"ts" as at the end of cats, then "oo" ("tsoo")
Memory hook: a tsunami wave curling over.
Spelling Surprise: Chi and Tsu
The Japanese "t" sounds change before the vowels i and u. ti becomes chi (as in cheese) and tu becomes tsu (as in tsunami). So the T row goes ta ยท chi ยท tsu ยท te ยท to, and the romaji spelling follows the actual sound. The "ts" is easier than it looks: it's the end of the English word cats, followed by "oo".
Look-Alike Warnings: ใก and ใ, ใค and ใ
ใก and ใ are close in shape: ใ is written in 3 strokes, ใก in 2, so count the strokes while you're learning them. ใค and ใ are both a single curved stroke: ใ (shi) is tall and ends by curving up like a fishing hook, whereas ใค (tsu) is wide and flat like a wave curling over.
The Japanese "T" Is Softer Too
Like the Japanese "k" you met in Chapter 3, the Japanese "t" has less puff of air than the English "t", and the tongue tends to touch the back of the upper front teeth rather than the ridge behind them. Say "stop", then drop the "s": that's closer to a Japanese ta.
๐ Read It โ New Words
With eighteen characters you can read all of these. Remember that each character is one beat.
| # | Word | Romaji | English | Note |
|---|
| 1 | ใใ | tako | octopus | ta + ko |
| 2 | ใใ | uta | song | u + ta |
| 3 | ใใก | kuchi | mouth | ku + chi |
| 4 | ใคใ | tsuki | moon | tsu + ki |
| 5 | ใคใใ | tsukue | desk | three beats: tsu-ku-e |
| 6 | ใใก | ichi | one (1) | your first number |
| 7 | ใกใก | chichi | (my) father | used for your own father |
| 8 | ใคใใ | tsukau | to use | a verb: ends in ใ |
| 9 | ใใใ | takai | high, tall; expensive | two meanings, one word |
| 10 | ใใคใ | atsui | hot | an adjective |
| 11 | ใกใใใ | chiisai | small | the opposite of ใใใใ (big) |
| 12 | ใกใใ | chikai | near, close | an adjective |
Real Japanese Tip โ Opposites in a Pair
Learning words in opposite pairs makes them stick. You now know ใใใใ (big) and ใกใใใ (small); ใใใ (slow) will get its partner, the word for "fast", in a later chapter. Also notice that ใใใ means both "tall" and "expensive" (written with the same kanji), so Japanese people use it for a high mountain or a high price.
A Peek Ahead โ The Small ใฃ
Later you will meet a small ใค, written ใฃ. It isn't "tsu" at all: it marks a short pause that doubles the next consonant (as in ใใฃใท, "ticket", said "kip-pu"). It belongs to a later course. For now, whenever you see a full-size ใค, read it as tsu.
Review: Reading Back
Cover the English and read these again: ใใใ (world) ยท ใใ (sweat) ยท ใใ (lie) ยท ใใ (there) ยท ใใใ (over there) ยท ใใ (so) ยท ใใใ (I see) ยท ใใใ (slow) ยท ใใใ (to invite).
โ๏ธ Try It Yourself โ ใใใใ
ใ
Say each answer out loud first, then click to check.
1. Read these aloud: ใ ยท ใก ยท ใค
Show answer
ta ยท chi ยท tsu
2. How many strokes do ใ, ใก and ใค have?
Show answer
ใ has 4, ใก has 2, ใค has 1.
3. Read and translate: ใใ ยท ใคใ ยท ใใก
Show answer
tako (octopus) ยท tsuki (moon) ยท kuchi (mouth)
4. Write in hiragana: uta (song) ยท tsukue (desk) ยท chiisai (small)
Show answer
ใใ ยท ใคใใ ยท ใกใใใ
5. What is the opposite of ใใใใ (big)?
Show answer
ใกใใใ (chiisai, small).
6. How are ใก and ใค written in romaji, and why not ti and tu?
Show answer
chi and tsu. The spelling follows the real sound: ti and tu change to "chee" and "tsoo" in Japanese.
Coming Up in Chapter 8
Two characters finish the T row: ใฆ (te) and ใจ (to). You'll then read ใฆ (hand), ใจใใ (clock), ใใจใ (this year) and ใฆใค (iron), and the first short phrases begin to appear.