Learn Japanese online with Nihon Zing
Nihon Zing helps beginners learn the Japanese writing systems — Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji — through hands-on handwriting practice, audio pronunciation, matching games, level-based quizzes and flashcards.
What you can do on Nihon Zing
- Hiragana chart and writing practice — all 46 basic characters with stroke order and audio
- Katakana chart and writing practice — characters for loanwords, names and emphasis
- Matching game — connect the dots to learn character shapes
- Study materials — books and resources for learners of Japanese
- How Nihon Zing works
Frequently asked questions
What is Nihon Zing?
Nihon Zing is an online Japanese learning app that teaches Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji through interactive handwriting practice with stroke order, audio pronunciation, matching games, quizzes and flashcards. It is designed for complete beginners.
How do I start learning Japanese from zero?
Start with Hiragana, the 46 basic characters every Japanese word can be written in. Learn one row at a time (a-i-u-e-o, then ka-ki-ku-ke-ko and so on), practise writing each character in the correct stroke order, then move on to Katakana and your first Kanji.
What is the difference between Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji?
Hiragana and Katakana are phonetic alphabets with 46 basic characters each. Hiragana is used for native Japanese words and grammar, Katakana for foreign loanwords, names and emphasis. Kanji are characters borrowed from Chinese that carry meaning, such as 日 (sun, day).
How long does it take to learn Hiragana?
With a few minutes of daily writing practice most beginners can recognise all 46 basic Hiragana characters within one to two weeks. Practising stroke order and listening to the pronunciation speeds this up.
Can I practise writing Japanese characters on Nihon Zing?
Yes. Every character has a handwriting practice screen where you trace the strokes in the correct order and hear how it is pronounced.
Do I need an account to use Nihon Zing?
You can start practising characters in the Letters section without signing in. Creating an account lets you join challenges and appear on the leaderboard.