Hello, I’m Kodak.
When you first open a Japanese book, manga, dictionary, or learning website, you may notice tiny kana written above a kanji.
The large characters are kanji.
The small にほんご above them is furigana.
It is kana added next to another piece of text to show how it is read.
Furigana (振り仮名) means small kana written beside or above kanji to show their pronunciation.
In horizontal Japanese, furigana normally appears above the kanji.
In vertical Japanese, it normally appears to the right of the kanji.
Furigana is especially useful for children, Japanese learners, uncommon kanji, names, place names, and words with unusual readings.
- 1 What Does Furigana Mean in Japanese?
- 2 What Does Furigana Look Like?
- 3 What Is Furigana Used For?
- 3.1 1. Showing the Reading of Unfamiliar Kanji
- 3.2 2. Helping Children Read Kanji They Have Not Learned Yet
- 3.3 3. Helping Japanese Learners
- 3.4 4. Showing How Names and Place Names Are Read
- 3.5 5. Distinguishing Between Multiple Possible Readings
- 3.6 6. Giving Creative Readings in Manga, Novels, and Games
- 4 Is Furigana Always Written in Hiragana?
- 5 Furigana vs Hiragana: What Is the Difference?
- 6 Furigana vs Okurigana: What Is the Difference?
- 7 Furigana vs Romaji: What Is the Difference?
- 8 Furigana vs Ruby: Are They the Same?
- 9 Where Does Furigana Appear?
- 10 What Does “Furigana” Mean on a Japanese Form?
- 11 Where Is Furigana Placed?
- 12 What Are Sō-rubi and Para-rubi?
- 13 Why Is Furigana Sometimes Added Only Once?
- 14 Can Furigana Show Meaning Instead of Pronunciation?
- 15 A Brief History of Furigana
- 16 How to Use Furigana Without Becoming Dependent on It
- 17 Furigana Examples in Complete Sentences
- 18 Common Beginner Mistakes About Furigana
- 19 FAQ About Furigana
- 19.1 What does furigana mean?
- 19.2 Is furigana hiragana?
- 19.3 What is furigana used for?
- 19.4 What is the difference between furigana and okurigana?
- 19.5 What is the difference between furigana and romaji?
- 19.6 Are furigana and ruby the same?
- 19.7 Is furigana always above kanji?
- 19.8 Do Japanese adults use furigana?
- 19.9 What does furigana mean on a form?
- 19.10 How do you add furigana in HTML?
- 20 Summary: Furigana Meaning and Usage
- 21 Related Articles
- 22 References
What Does Furigana Mean in Japanese?
Hiragana: ふりがな
Romaji: furigana
Meaning: kana added to text to show its reading or pronunciation
The word is made from:
from the verb 振る (furu), which can mean to add or place a reading or mark beside text
仮名 (kana)
the Japanese phonetic scripts: hiragana and katakana
In the expression 仮名を振る, 振る means to assign or add kana beside a character. It does not mean that the kana is physically waving!
Kanji ni furigana o furu.
To add furigana to kanji.
What Does Furigana Look Like?
Here are several common examples:
mountain
学校
school
日本語
Japanese language
大人
adult
The larger text is called the base text. The smaller reading is the furigana.
For example, 大人 is learned as one word. You should not try to assign お to 大 and とな to 人.
What Is Furigana Used For?
1. Showing the Reading of Unfamiliar Kanji
The most basic purpose of furigana is to tell the reader how a kanji or kanji word is pronounced.
shinkansen; bullet train
雰囲気
atmosphere; mood
躊躇
hesitation
A children’s book may add furigana to common kanji that an adult already knows, while a specialist text may leave many advanced characters unmarked.
2. Helping Children Read Kanji They Have Not Learned Yet
Japanese children understand many spoken words before they learn all the kanji used to write them. Furigana allows a book to use the normal kanji while still making the text readable.
Dōbutsuen e ikimashita.
We went to the zoo.
A child may know the spoken word dōbutsuen but not yet recognize all three kanji in 動物園. Furigana connects the familiar sound with the written word.
3. Helping Japanese Learners
Furigana lets learners read real kanji vocabulary without looking up every character before finishing the sentence.
Pause briefly on the kanji first, then use the furigana to confirm the reading. Otherwise, your eyes may learn to ignore the kanji.
1. Look at the kanji word.
2. Try to remember the reading.
3. Check the furigana.
4. Read the whole word aloud.
5. Notice the meaning in the sentence.
4. Showing How Names and Place Names Are Read
Japanese names can be difficult to predict because the same kanji may have several possible readings.
一 — Hajime
日向 — Hinata
日向 — Hyūga
That is why applications, lists, business cards, event programs, and official records may include a furigana or reading field.
5. Distinguishing Between Multiple Possible Readings
A single written form may have more than one established reading or meaning. Furigana can tell the reader which one the writer intends.
today
今日
these days; the present day, often in formal language
The kanji are the same, but the furigana selects the intended reading.
6. Giving Creative Readings in Manga, Novels, and Games
In creative writing, furigana does not always provide an ordinary dictionary reading. An author can use the kanji to show one layer of meaning and the furigana to show what a character actually says or how the term should sound.
宿敵
The kanji 宿敵 suggests “long-standing enemy” or “archrival.”
The katakana reading ライバル tells the reader to pronounce it as “rival.”
Creative furigana can deliberately separate the meaning shown by the kanji from the sound shown by the ruby text.
This technique is common enough in manga, fantasy novels, song titles, and games that learners should not assume every furigana reading appears in a dictionary.
Is Furigana Always Written in Hiragana?
No. Furigana is usually written in hiragana, but other scripts can appear depending on its purpose.
The most common type for ordinary Japanese readings.
Katakana furigana
May indicate a foreign-style pronunciation, an onomatopoeic effect, emphasis, or a creative reading.
Roman-letter or other annotations
Possible in specialized layouts, language-learning materials, and creative typography, although these are not the usual form of everyday furigana.
Hiragana and katakana are scripts. Furigana describes their role as a reading annotation attached to other text.
Furigana vs Hiragana: What Is the Difference?
A Japanese phonetic script used for grammar, particles, endings, and many ordinary words.
Furigana
A reading guide placed beside another word, most often kanji. It is usually written in hiragana, but “furigana” describes the function, not the script itself.
きょうはあめです。
It is rainy today.
Hiragana functioning as furigana:
今日は雨です。
The important part is that it is attached to base text as a reading or explanatory guide.
Learn more: Hiragana vs Katakana vs Kanji
Furigana vs Okurigana: What Is the Difference?
These two words sound similar, but their roles are completely different.
た above 食 = furigana
⇒ shows how the kanji is read
べる after 食 = okurigana
⇒ forms part of the normal spelling and grammar of the verb
・appears above or beside the base text
・helps the reader pronounce it
・can be removed while leaving the normal spelling intact
Okurigana
・appears in the normal text after a kanji stem
・shows part of the word and its grammatical form
・cannot simply be removed without changing or damaging the spelling
If furigana is added, the word can appear as 食べました. The small た and the normal-size べました perform different jobs.
Learn more: What Is Okurigana? Meaning and Basic Rules
Furigana vs Romaji: What Is the Difference?
日本語
A reading annotation, normally written in kana.
Romaji:
nihongo
Japanese written with the Roman alphabet.
Romaji helps people who cannot yet read kana. Furigana assumes that the reader can read kana and uses it to unlock kanji.
It keeps you inside the Japanese writing system instead of converting every word back into the Roman alphabet.
Learn more: What Is Romaji? Romaji vs Hiragana
Furigana vs Ruby: Are They the Same?
The two terms overlap, but they come from different contexts.
The ordinary Japanese term for kana added to show a reading.
Ruby
A printing and digital-typesetting term for small annotation text placed beside base text. In Japanese, ruby is often used to display furigana.
The word ruby comes from the name of a small British printing type size. In Japanese publishing, the word ルビ (rubi) became associated with the small type used for readings.
Ruby annotations can support several East Asian writing traditions and can sometimes provide information other than pronunciation.
How Furigana Is Written in HTML
Web pages can use the HTML ruby and rt elements.
<ruby>日本語<rt>にほんご</rt></ruby>This displays as:
Where Does Furigana Appear?
To make kanji readable before children have learned all of them.
Japanese textbooks and graded readers
To help learners connect kanji, pronunciation, and vocabulary.
Manga and light novels
For younger audiences, difficult words, names, invented terminology, and creative readings.
Dictionaries
To show the pronunciation of an entry.
News, signs, museums, and public information
When a reading may be unfamiliar to part of the audience.
Forms and databases
To record the reading of a person’s name or address.
What Does “Furigana” Mean on a Japanese Form?
On a form, a field labeled ふりがな or フリガナ normally asks you to write the pronunciation of your name, address, or another kanji entry in kana.
Furigana: やまだ たろう
or, when katakana is requested:
Name: 山田 太郎
フリガナ: ヤマダ タロウ
Some digital forms accept only one script, full-width characters, or a limited set of symbols.
In this context, the furigana is not physically printed above the name. The field still asks for the same basic information: How should this written name be read?
Where Is Furigana Placed?
Furigana is normally placed above the base text.
Vertical writing:
Furigana is normally placed to the right of the base text.
The exact layout depends on the publication and the annotation’s purpose.
What Are Sō-rubi and Para-rubi?
Japanese publishing uses terms for how widely furigana is applied.
Furigana is added to almost all or all relevant kanji throughout the text.
パラルビ (para-rubi)
Furigana is added only to selected kanji, such as difficult words, unusual names, or a word’s first appearance.
Materials for young children and beginning learners may use extensive furigana. Adult books more often provide readings only where the editor expects difficulty or ambiguity.
Why Is Furigana Sometimes Added Only Once?
A book may give the reading the first time a word or name appears, then omit it afterward.
織田信長は……
Later appearance:
織田信長は……
Can Furigana Show Meaning Instead of Pronunciation?
Ordinary furigana primarily shows pronunciation. However, ruby annotations have also been used to add meaning, translation, wordplay, or a second layer of interpretation.
未来
The ruby tells you how to pronounce 未来.
Creative dual-layer writing:
未来
The kanji suggests “future,” while the reading tells the reader to say ashita, “tomorrow.”
In creative writing, the author may be asking you to pronounce one word while showing another concept in kanji. Always check whether the reading is standard or stylistic.
A Brief History of Furigana
The practice of adding readings beside characters is much older than the modern printed appearance of furigana.
Readers added small marks and phonetic notes to Chinese texts
↓
Kana readings were written beside difficult or ambiguous characters
↓
Reading annotations spread into Japanese mixed-script texts
↓
Woodblock printing and later movable type supported widespread reading guides
↓
Modern publishing and web standards developed ruby layout conventions
Dictionary and encyclopedia sources trace the roots of furigana to early Heian-period reading annotations used when interpreting Chinese texts. The word furigana itself appears in much later sources, so the practice is older than the modern term.
Children’s education is now one of its best-known uses, but furigana has served many readers and purposes.
How to Use Furigana Without Becoming Dependent on It
Look at the main word before the reading.
2. Learn the whole word, not only isolated readings.
Remember 大人 as the word “adult.”
3. Read aloud.
Connect the kanji, kana reading, sound, and meaning.
4. Re-read without furigana when possible.
A second version without readings tests recognition.
5. Notice recurring kanji patterns.
Repeated exposure gradually makes the annotation unnecessary.
The goal is not to avoid furigana. The goal is to use it in a way that gradually strengthens your kanji recognition.
Furigana Examples in Complete Sentences
明日、東京へ行きます。
Ashita, Tōkyō e ikimasu.
I will go to Tokyo tomorrow.
この漢字の読み方を教えてください。
Kono kanji no yomikata o oshiete kudasai.
Please tell me how to read this kanji.
名前にふりがなを書いてください。
Namae ni furigana o kaite kudasai.
Please write the reading of your name.
この本はすべての漢字にふりがなが付いています。
Kono hon wa subete no kanji ni furigana ga tsuite imasu.
This book has furigana on all the kanji.
難しい地名にはふりがながあると助かります。
Muzukashii chimei ni wa furigana ga aru to tasukarimasu.
It helps when difficult place names have furigana.
ふりがなを見る前に、読み方を考えてみよう。
Furigana o miru mae ni, yomikata o kangaete miyō.
Try thinking of the reading before looking at the furigana.
Common Beginner Mistakes About Furigana
Mistake 1: Thinking Furigana Is a Separate Alphabet
Furigana is a function performed by small annotation text. It normally uses hiragana or katakana, which are already part of the Japanese writing system.
Mistake 2: Reading Only the Furigana
If your eyes skip the kanji every time, the reading aid may stop helping you learn the base word.
Mistake 3: Assuming Every Creative Reading Is a Dictionary Reading
Manga and fiction may deliberately pair kanji with a nonstandard spoken word. Treat the combination as the author’s design unless a dictionary confirms the reading.
Mistake 4: Confusing Furigana with Okurigana
Furigana sits above or beside text. Okurigana is written in the normal line after a kanji stem and forms part of the word.
Mistake 5: Assuming Native Speakers Never Need Furigana
Names, rare characters, historical terms, specialized vocabulary, and unusual place names can be difficult even for native readers.
FAQ About Furigana
What does furigana mean?
Furigana means small kana added beside or above kanji or other base text to show how it should be read.
Is furigana hiragana?
Furigana is usually written in hiragana, but furigana describes the reading-guide function rather than one specific script. Katakana and other annotations can also appear.
What is furigana used for?
It is used to show pronunciation, help children and learners, clarify names and place names, distinguish possible readings, and create layered readings in manga and literature.
What is the difference between furigana and okurigana?
Furigana appears above or beside base text to show its reading. Okurigana follows a kanji stem in the normal line of text and forms part of a word’s spelling and grammar.
What is the difference between furigana and romaji?
Furigana normally uses kana to annotate another word. Romaji writes Japanese sounds with the Roman alphabet.
Are furigana and ruby the same?
They overlap. Furigana is the Japanese reading-guide practice, while ruby is a broader printing and web-layout term for small annotations attached to base text.
Is furigana always above kanji?
In horizontal Japanese it is normally above the base text. In vertical Japanese it is normally placed to the right. Layout can vary for special annotations.
Do Japanese adults use furigana?
Yes. Adults may need furigana for uncommon characters, names, place names, historical language, specialized vocabulary, or a writer’s unusual reading.
What does furigana mean on a form?
It asks for the kana pronunciation of a name, address, or other written entry. Follow the form’s instructions about whether hiragana or katakana is required.
How do you add furigana in HTML?
Use the HTML ruby element for the base text and the rt element for its reading, for example: <ruby>日本語<rt>にほんご</rt></ruby>.
Furigana, Okurigana, or Romaji? A 2-Question Check
These three all help with reading kanji, but they sit in different places and do different jobs. Answer two questions about the small text you are looking at.
A reading guide attached to base text, as in 日本語にほんご.
Part of the word’s actual spelling and grammar, as in the べる in 食べる.
Japanese sounds written with the Roman alphabet, e.g. nihongo.
A reliable pronunciation guide you can learn as the dictionary reading.
Common in manga and titles; treat it as the author’s stylistic choice, not a dictionary fact.
※ Quick test: if you could delete the small text and the word would still be spelled correctly, it is furigana. If deleting it breaks the spelling, it is okurigana.
Summary: Furigana Meaning and Usage
It is small kana added beside or above kanji or other base text.
● Furigana is not a fourth Japanese alphabet.
It normally uses hiragana or katakana.
● Its main purpose is pronunciation.
It helps readers with unfamiliar kanji, names, place names, and ambiguous readings.
● Creative works can use furigana for two layers of meaning.
The kanji may suggest one concept while the furigana gives a different spoken word.
● Furigana and okurigana are different.
Furigana is an annotation; okurigana is part of the normal spelling.
● Ruby is the broader typesetting term.
HTML uses ruby markup to display furigana on websites.
● Learners should use furigana actively.
Look at the kanji first, confirm the reading, and gradually practice without the annotation.
kanji → pronunciation → spoken word → meaning.
Use that bridge until you can recognize the word without it!
Related Articles
- Hiragana vs Katakana vs Kanji: Differences and When to Use Each
- Why Does Japanese Have 3 Writing Systems?
- What Is Romaji? Romaji vs Hiragana
- What Is Okurigana? Meaning and Basic Rules
References
- Kotobank: 振り仮名 — definitions, uses, terminology, and historical development.
- Goo Dictionary: 振る — the use meaning to add a mark or reading beside text.
- W3C Internationalization: What Is Ruby? — ruby terminology, placement, and common Japanese uses.
- W3C: HTML Ruby Markup Extensions — modern ruby markup and its use for pronunciation annotations.
- Ministry of the Environment: Furigana and ruby accessibility feature.
- Agency for Cultural Affairs: Okurigana terminology and rules.
