n

Hiragana ん (n)

  • Reads asn
  • ScriptHiragana
  • Katakana pair
  • Rown-final

Remember it

A single scribble, the n you sign at the end.

Words that use it

  • ほん hon book
  • にほん nihon Japan 日本

Don't confuse it with

ん never begins a word; そ often does. Position alone resolves most sightings.

Watch out

ん takes a full beat of its own. にほん is ni-ho-n, three counts, not two, and Japanese speakers hear the difference immediately.