✨ Kanji Reading Lookup

Kanji to Hiragana Converter

Q: Can one kanji have multiple correct hiragana readings?

Yes. Most kanji have an on'yomi and a kun'yomi reading, and the correct one depends on the specific word, not the character alone.

Q: What's the difference between furigana and a hiragana conversion?

They're the same reading shown differently - furigana displays it in small text above the kanji, a plain conversion writes it on its own line.

Type or paste a common Japanese kanji word to see its hiragana reading and furigana - built from a curated dictionary of everyday words, so every result is a verified reading, not a guess.

Kanji to Hiragana Converter: How This Tool Works

This converter looks up each word against a curated dictionary of common Japanese vocabulary rather than guessing at a reading. That distinction matters: a single kanji character in isolation can have several valid readings, and only knowing the specific word tells you which one applies. Because of that, this tool works on whole words from its dictionary - type an exact word like 日本 or 学校 rather than a single character you're hoping to look up generically.

Why Kanji to Hiragana Isn't Always One Fixed Answer

Most kanji carry at least two reading types: on'yomi, borrowed from Chinese pronunciation and typically used in compound words, and kun'yomi, the native Japanese reading, typically used when the kanji stands alone. 生 alone can be read せい, しょう, い, う, or なま depending entirely on the word it's part of. A tool that tried to convert kanji character-by-character without a dictionary would get this wrong constantly - which is why this one works from verified whole-word entries instead.

Furigana: The Same Reading Shown a Different Way

Furigana (振り仮名) is this same hiragana reading printed in small text directly above the kanji, rather than written out on its own line. It's the format most learners meet first, in children's books and manga, where kanji is paired with its reading until the reader is expected to know it unaided. Switch to any word above to see both the plain hiragana and the furigana display generated from the same lookup.

Common Kanji Words and Their Hiragana Readings

Kanji	Hiragana	Meaning
日本	にほん	Japan
先生	せんせい	Teacher
水	みず	Water
食べる	たべる	To eat
学校	がっこう	School
桜	さくら	Cherry blossom

Frequently Asked Questions

Is converting kanji to hiragana the same as translating it?

No. The word and its meaning stay exactly the same - only the writing system changes. 水 becomes みず, which still means water and is still Japanese, not English.

Can one kanji have multiple correct hiragana readings?

Yes, and this is normal. Most kanji have an on'yomi and a kun'yomi reading, and the correct one depends on the specific word, not the character alone - which is why this tool works from whole-word dictionary entries.

Why doesn't this tool accept any kanji I type?

Because an accurate reading requires knowing the actual word, not just the character. Rather than guess and risk showing a wrong reading, this tool only converts words already verified in its dictionary, and tells you clearly when a word isn't in it yet.

What's the difference between furigana and a hiragana conversion?

They're the same reading shown differently. Furigana displays that hiragana reading in small text above the kanji; a plain hiragana conversion writes the same reading out on its own line.

Explore the Other Conversion Tools

See how the same word looks in katakana with our Kanji to Katakana Converter, or convert freely between the two kana scripts with Hiragana to Katakana. Starting from an English name instead? Our Japanese Name Converter builds the katakana, hiragana, kanji, and romaji versions of it from scratch.