Hya Hyu Hyo

Hiragana 3

Chapter 6 Β· Hya Hyu Hyo

🌸 Combined Sounds IV β€” ひゃ ひゅ ひょ and びゃ びゅ びょ

Two more rows with the same rule, and this time a practical bonus: the numbers for hundreds, and a famous trap, hospital versus beauty salon. The characters are ひ and び plus a small ゃ, γ‚… or ょ. Romaji is shown for everything.

🧩 The Rule Again β€” ζ‹—ιŸ³

One more pair of rows: ひ and its voiced partner び plus a small ゃ, γ‚… or ょ. The same rule: one beat. Today's words give you the numbers for hundreds, and the word for a hospital.

ゃ (ya)γ‚… (yu)ょ (yo)
ひ (hi) hya hyu hyo
び (bi) bya byu byo

The pattern follows the plain character: ひ (hi) gives hya hyu hyo, and び (bi) gives bya byu byo.

ひゃ
hya
"hya" in one beat, like the start of Hyannis
stroke order β–Έ
Memory hook: hya-ku, one hundred. ひ + small ゃ.
ひゅ
hyu
"hyu" in one beat, like huge
stroke order β–Έ
Memory hook: hyΕ«-hyΕ«, the whistle of the wind. ひ + small γ‚….
ひょ
hyo
"hyo" in one beat
stroke order β–Έ
Memory hook: hyō, a chart or table. ひ + small ょ.
びゃ
bya
"bya" in one beat, a b plus "ya"
stroke order β–Έ
Memory hook: sanbyaku, three hundred. び + small ゃ.
びゅ
byu
"byu" in one beat, like beauty
stroke order β–Έ
Memory hook: byΕ«n-byΕ«n, a gust of wind. び + small γ‚….
びょ
byo
"byo" in one beat
stroke order β–Έ
Memory hook: byō-in, a hospital. び + small ょ.

πŸ’― The Hundreds

Counting in hundreds shows a sound change you will meet again: after some numbers, ひゃく turns into びゃく.

NumberHiraganaSay it
100hyaku
200nihyaku
300sanbyaku (びゃ: the sound changes)
400yonhyaku
500gohyaku
700nanahyaku
900kyΕ«hyaku

600 (ろっぴゃく) and 800 (はっぴゃく) use the P version, ぴゃ, which comes in the next chapter.

Hospital or Beauty Salon? A famous mix-up for learners: びょういん (byōin) is a hospital and γ³γ‚ˆγ†γ„γ‚“ (biyōin) is a beauty salon. The only difference is the size of one character and one vowel. Say "I'm going to the びょういん" and you'll get very different reactions. Size matters!
Hospital or…?Say itEnglish
byōinhospital
biyōinbeauty salon
hyōchart; table
hiyōcost; expense

πŸ“– Read It β€” New Words

Read the Japanese first, then check the romaji.

#WordRomajiEnglishNote
1hyakuone hundredhya-ku
2nihyakutwo hundredni-hya-ku
3sanbyakuthree hundredsa-n-bya-ku: ひゃ becomes びゃ after γ‚“
4hyakuenone hundred yenhya-ku-e-n: the most useful coin
5hyōchart; tablehyō: ょう is a long ō
6byōinhospitalbyō-i-n
7byōkiillnessbyō-ki
8hyōjōfacial expressionhyō-jō: two combined sounds in a row
9hyΕ«hyΕ«whistling (wind)hyΕ«-hyΕ«: a mimetic word
10byunbyunwhooshing (fast wind)byu-n-byu-n: a mimetic word
Real Japanese Tip β€” γ²γ‚ƒγγˆγ‚“ The γ²γ‚ƒγγˆγ‚“ coin (100 yen) is the workhorse of Japanese money: vending machines, lockers, shops everywhere. Knowing ひゃく in both its forms (ひゃく, びゃく, ぴゃく) is a practical skill for anyone shopping in Japan, and you'll practise it in Japanese Basic Conversation 1.
Review: Words from the Last Chapter (tea) Β· (rice bowl) Β· (a little) Β· (China) Β· (an order) Β· (entering school).

✍️ Try It Yourself β€” γ‚Œγ‚“γ—γ‚…γ†

Say each answer out loud first, then click to check.

1. How are and romanised?

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hya and bya.

2. Read aloud and translate: Β· Β·

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hyaku (100) Β· nihyaku (200) Β· sanbyaku (300)

3. What is the difference between and ?

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びょういん (byōin) is a hospital; γ³γ‚ˆγ†γ„γ‚“ (biyōin) is a beauty salon.

4. Read aloud and translate: Β· Β·

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byōki (illness) · hyō (chart) · hyakuen (100 yen)

5. After which numbers does change to ?

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After 3 (さん): さんびゃく. (600 and 800 use ぴゃ, coming in Chapter 7.)

6. Write in hiragana: hyaku · byōin · byōki (check the small characters).

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Β· Β·

Coming Up in Chapter 7 Two more rows: ぴゃ ぴゅ ぴょ and みゃ みゅ みょ. You'll be able to read ろっぴゃく (600), はっぴゃく (800) and γΏγ‚‡γ†γ˜ (family name).