Japanese Okurigana Rules (送り仮名の付け方)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Okurigana are the kana suffixes attached to kanji to indicate the grammatical function or reading of a word.
- Verbs: Attach kana to the stem, e.g., {食べる|たべる} (taberu).
- Adjectives: Attach kana to the stem, e.g., {高い|たかい} (takai).
- Compound words: Generally omit okurigana unless necessary for clarity.
Overview
Okurigana (送り仮名) are the kana suffixes appended to the stems of kanji to complete a word, primarily for verbs, adjectives, and certain adverbs or nouns. They serve two critical functions in written Japanese: inflection and disambiguation. Without okurigana, the grammatical function and precise reading of many kanji would be impossible to determine, leading to widespread ambiguity.
While often perceived as merely "trailing kana," okurigana are an integral part of a word's structure, signaling its grammatical role and guiding pronunciation. The system was formally standardized by the Japanese government in 1973 through the 送りがなの付け方 (Okurigana no Tsukekata – Rules for Attaching Okurigana), aiming for consistency and clarity in official and educational texts. Mastering these rules is not merely about correctness; it is essential for accurate comprehension and effective communication, enabling you to convey nuance that pure kanji cannot.
It distinguishes professional writing from amateur attempts, ensuring your Japanese is both readable and grammatically sound.
How This Grammar Works
gokan), carrying the core meaning, while the okurigana indicates the grammatical ending (活用語尾 katsuyōgobi). This ending changes based on tense, mood, politeness, and other grammatical categories.読 carries the meaning "to read." Its okurigana む completes the dictionary form 読む|よ・む. If you want to express "read" in the past tense, the okurigana changes to んだ, forming 読んだ|よ・んだ. The kanji 読 remains constant, while the okurigana articulates the grammatical shift.音読み|on'yomi and 訓読み|kun'yomi) and can form homographs or words with similar kanji but different meanings. Okurigana guides you to the correct reading and, consequently, the correct meaning.生. With きる, it forms 生きる|い・きる (to live). With む, it becomes 生む|う・む (to give birth).える, it is 生える|は・える (to grow, sprout). The specific kana attached tells you precisely which native Japanese verb, and therefore which meaning and reading, is intended. Furthermore, okurigana often differentiates between transitive and intransitive verb pairs.上がる|あ・がる (to rise, intransitive) and 上げる|あ・げる (to raise, transitive) use different okurigana (がる vs. げる) to convey the distinct grammatical function and semantic nuance. This precise signaling mechanism prevents confusion and ensures that the intended action or state is clearly communicated within a sentence.Formation Pattern
dōshi):
ichidan-dōshi): These verbs typically end in る in their dictionary form, and the stem ends in an e or i sound. The る is always the okurigana.
見 | る | 見る|み・る | 見ます|み・ます, 見た|み・た |
食べ | る | 食べる|た・べる | 食べません|た・べません, 食べて|た・べて |
落ち | る | 落ちる|お・ちる | 落ちない|お・ちない, 落ちれば|お・ちれば |
godan-dōshi): These verbs have more complex conjugations where the final vowel of the stem changes. The last kana of the dictionary form is the okurigana.
書 | く | 書く|か・く | 書きます|か・きます, 書いた|か・いた |
話 | す | 話す|はな・す | 話さない|はな・さない, 話せば|はな・せば |
行 | く | 行く|い・く | 行かない|い・かない, 行こう|い・こう |
訓読み reading that requires more than just the last kana to be pronounced, the okurigana starts after the point that distinguishes the reading from others. This often applies to verbs where the stem itself is longer than a single kanji reading.
動 | く | 動く|うご・く | 動きません|うご・きません, 動いて|うご・いて |
現 | れる | 現れる|あら・われる | 現れない|あら・われない, 現れて|あら・われて |
始まる|はじ・まる | 始める|はじ・める | To begin (itself) | To begin (something) |
閉まる|し・まる | 閉める|し・める | To close (itself) | To close (something) |
上がる|あ・がる | 上げる|あ・げる | To rise, go up | To raise, lift up |
ドアが閉まる (The door closes) vs. ドアを閉める (I close the door).
keiyōshi):
i-adjectives (イ形容詞 i-keiyōshi): The final い of the dictionary form is always written as okurigana. When conjugated, any subsequent kana also become okurigana.
高 | い | 高い|たか・い | 高くありません|たか・くありません, 高かった|たか・かった |
美し | い | 美しい|うつく・しい | 美しくない|うつく・しくない, 美しければ|うつく・しければ |
大 | きい | 大きい|おお・きい | 大きくない|おお・きくない, 大きかった|おお・きかった |
na-adjectives (ナ形容詞 na-keiyōshi): These are technically nominal adjectives and do not inflect in the same way. Therefore, they generally do not take okurigana directly. The な or に that follows them to connect to nouns or verbs is a particle, not okurigana. For example, 元気|げんき (healthy) does not have okurigana, but you'd say 元気な人|げんきなひと (a healthy person).
meishi) and Adverbs (副詞 fukushi) Derived from Verbs/Adjectives:
話す|はな・す (to speak) → 話|はなし (a talk, story)
動く|うご・く (to move) → 動き|うご・き (movement)
願う|ねが・う (to wish) → 願い|ねが・い (a wish)
旨い|うま・い (delicious, skillful) retains its い even when used adverbially, as in 旨くいく|うまくいく (to go well).
行う|おこな・う is the modern standard, you may still encounter 行なう|おこな・う in older texts or niche publications. Adhering to the modern standard is crucial for contemporary communication.
When To Use It
- Everyday Communication: From casual messaging on LINE or Discord to formal emails, correct okurigana is expected. If you text a friend
食べた|たべ・た(ate) versus食た, the latter is nonsensical. Similarly, expressing an opinion like面白い|おもしろ・い(interesting) requires theいas okurigana.
- Formal and Academic Writing: In reports, academic papers, and official documents, strict adherence to okurigana rules is paramount. It reflects your proficiency and attention to detail. Publishers and educators rigorously enforce these standards.
～と考える|とかんが・える(to think that…) or～を述べる|をの・べる(to state that…) must always have their respective okurigana.
- Online Content and Media: Websites, news articles, video subtitles, and social media captions all employ proper okurigana. It ensures information is conveyed clearly to a broad audience. For example, a travel blog describing a beautiful view might say
景色が広がる|けしきがひろ・がる(The scenery spreads out), correctly usingがるas okurigana.
- Instructional and Informational Text: Road signs, cooking instructions, and user manuals rely on precise okurigana to avoid confusion.
右に曲がる|みぎにま・がる(Turn right) on navigation systems or水を加える|みずをくわ・える(Add water) in a recipe requires it to be understood correctly. Okurigana acts as the functional bridge between the static kanji and its dynamic grammatical behavior, making it an indispensable part of the Japanese writing system.
Common Mistakes
- Over-reliance on the "one kana rule" for Godan verbs: While many Godan verbs have only one kana as okurigana (e.g.,
書く|か・く), some require more for disambiguation or pronunciation. Mistakenly writing動くas動or落ちるas落is a common error. Always remember that the okurigana should cover the entire part of the word that inflects or is necessary for its unique reading, not just the last mora.
- Forgetting the
いfori-adjectives: A prevalent mistake is to omit the finalいini-adjectives, writing大きinstead of大きい|おお・きい(big) or寒instead of寒い|さむ・い(cold). This is grammatically incorrect, as theいis the inflectional ending ofi-adjectivesand essential for their function.
- Confusing Transitive/Intransitive Pairs: Failing to correctly apply okurigana to distinguish transitive and intransitive verbs (e.g.,
出す|だ・すvs.出る|で・る,直す|なお・すvs.直る|なお・る) is a common source of confusion. This error changes the verb's voice and can completely alter the meaning of a sentence. Forgetting the specific okurigana for each can lead to telling someone "the door opened me" (私を閉める) instead of "I closed the door" (私が閉める), which is a linguistic and contextual mismatch.
- Misapplying Okurigana to Nouns or Kanji Compounds: Learners sometimes incorrectly add okurigana to nouns that do not require it, especially those that appear similar to inflecting words. For example,
祭り|まつり(festival) is a noun and typically written without okurigana, unlike its verb counterpart祭る|まつ・る(to enshrine). Similarly,kanji compounds(熟語jukugo) typically consist of multiple kanji without intervening kana (e.g.,勉強|べんきょうfor study,経済|けいざいfor economy). Adding okurigana to these is erroneous and indicates a misunderstanding of their Sino-Japanese origin and non-inflecting nature.
- Using historical kana usage (
歴史的仮名遣い) instead of modern usage (現代仮名遣い): Some older texts or specific literary styles use歴史的仮名遣い, which can have different okurigana rules (e.g.,行なうinstead of行う|おこな・う). However, for all modern communication, you must adhere to現代仮名遣い. Using outdated forms will make your Japanese appear archaic and can confuse readers expecting contemporary standards.
- Incorrectly assuming that longer okurigana is always better for clarity: While okurigana adds clarity, sometimes learners might over-extend it. For example, while
行う|おこな・うis correct,行なう(withなうas okurigana) is an older variant, not the preferred modern form. Adhere to the standard forms to avoid appearing anachronistic or making your writing cumbersome.
Real Conversations
In modern Japanese communication, particularly among university students and young professionals, the use of correct okurigana is a subtle yet significant indicator of literacy and fluency. While casual text messages might tolerate occasional abbreviations or simplified expressions, fundamental grammatical elements like okurigana are rarely omitted, even in informal digital exchanges. Its consistent application reflects respect for clarity and standard Japanese.
- Texting and Social Media: Despite the informal nature, okurigana remains largely intact. When a friend texts, 今日、授業が早く終わったよ！ (Kyō, jugyō ga hayaku owatta yo!) – "Class finished early today!", the かった for 終わった|お・わった (finished) is crucial. Omitting it would make the message unintelligible. Similarly, expressing excitement about a new game, 新しいゲーム、面白い！ (Atarashī gēmu, omoshiroi!) – "New game, interesting!", correctly uses い for 面白い|おもしろ・い.
- Work Emails and Professional Correspondence: In professional settings, strict adherence to okurigana rules is expected. A proposal might state, 御社のご提案を検討いたします。 (Onsha no go-teian o kentō itashimasu.) – "We will consider your company's proposal." Here, 検討いたします|けんとういた・します (will consider) meticulously retains its いたします okurigana, signaling politeness and grammatical completeness. Mistakes in such contexts can appear unprofessional, indicating a lack of attention to detail or insufficient language proficiency.
- Casual Conversation vs. Written Form: In spoken Japanese, okurigana is obviously not audible. However, when transcribing casual speech or writing diary entries, the need for okurigana reappears. If you casually say ご飯を食べに行く (Gohan o tabe ni iku) – "I'm going to eat," when writing it down, 行く|い・く (to go) and 食べる|た・べる (to eat) must both have their respective く and る okurigana. The visual structure of the written language depends on it.
- Cultural Insight: Aesthetics and Readability: The balance between kanji, hiragana, and katakana in written Japanese is not just functional; it's also aesthetic. Okurigana contributes significantly to the visual rhythm and readability of sentences. A block of pure kanji without okurigana can look dense and imposing, often referred to as "walls of kanji." Okurigana provides visual breaks, making the text easier to parse at a glance, allowing the reader's eye to quickly identify grammatical functions and word boundaries. This balance is deeply ingrained in the Japanese reading experience.
Quick FAQ
okurigana for verbs and adjectives?Yes, almost without exception. Okurigana is fundamental for all inflecting words (verbs and adjectives). Without it, the word's grammatical form (tense, politeness, etc.) cannot be expressed, and its reading often becomes ambiguous. Consider 書く|か・く (to write) vs. just 書. The latter is an uninflected kanji that could mean "writing," "book," or a number of other things. The く makes it an active verb in the plain form.
行なう instead of 行う?This relates to historical vs. modern kana usage. 行なう|おこな・う was a permissible form under older 送りがなの付け方 guidelines. However, the 1973 standardization (and subsequent revisions) officially established 行う|おこな・う as the standard form. While 行なう is not necessarily "wrong" and will be understood, 行う is the universally accepted and expected modern usage. Adhering to 行う demonstrates contemporary language proficiency.
okurigana used in katakana words?No. Katakana words are primarily used for foreign loanwords, onomatopoeia, or emphasis. These words are phonetic representations and do not have kanji stems to which okurigana would attach. For example, コンピューター|konpyūtā (computer) is written entirely in katakana and does not inflect in the same way kanji-based verbs or adjectives do.
okurigana be more than two characters long?Absolutely. Okurigana can extend for several kana, especially when verbs or adjectives are conjugated into longer, more complex forms. For example:
- From
読む|よ・む(to read):読まなかった|よ・まなかった(did not read) –まなかったis the okurigana. - From
速い|はや・い(fast):速くなかったら|はや・くなかったら(if it weren't fast) –くなかったらis the okurigana.
okurigana is determined by the inflectional ending required to express the specific grammatical meaning.Generally, independent nouns (本|ほん - book, 車|くるま - car) do not have okurigana as they do not inflect. However, certain nouns are directly derived from verb or adjective stems and retain the okurigana that was part of their origin. For instance, 動き|うご・き (movement) is derived from 動く|うご・く (to move), retaining the き. Similarly, 話|はなし (story) comes from 話す|はな・す (to speak), keeping the し. If a noun clearly retains an inflectional ending from a verb or adjective, it usually keeps that okurigana to signal its origin and reading, especially to differentiate it from other potential readings of the bare kanji.
okurigana change based on politeness?Yes, indirectly, as politeness in Japanese is often expressed through verb conjugations. For example, the plain form verb 書く|か・く (to write) has く as its okurigana. In the polite form, it becomes 書きます|か・きます, where きます acts as the okurigana. The kanji stem 書 remains constant, but the longer polite ending is entirely rendered in kana. This clearly shows that okurigana expands or contracts depending on the specific grammatical form, which includes honorifics and politeness levels.
Verb Conjugation and Okurigana
| Kanji | Stem | Okurigana | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|---|
|
飲
|
の
|
む
|
飲みます
|
|
行
|
い
|
く
|
行きます
|
|
話
|
はな
|
す
|
話します
|
|
帰
|
かえ
|
る
|
帰ります
|
|
待
|
ま
|
つ
|
待ちます
|
|
死
|
し
|
ぬ
|
死にます
|
Meanings
Okurigana are kana characters written after kanji to clarify the reading and grammatical role of the word.
Verb Conjugation
Indicating the inflection of a verb.
“{行く|いく}”
“{話す|はなす}”
Adjective Inflection
Indicating the stem of i-adjectives.
“{赤い|あかい}”
“{大きい|おおきい}”
Noun Clarification
Distinguishing between similar kanji compounds.
“{月日|つきひ}”
“{明日|あした}”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Kanji + Kana
|
{食べる|たべる}
|
|
Negative
|
Kanji + Kana
|
{食べない|たべない}
|
|
Past
|
Kanji + Kana
|
{食べた|たべた}
|
|
Te-form
|
Kanji + Kana
|
{食べて|たべて}
|
|
Adjective
|
Kanji + i
|
{赤い|あかい}
|
|
Noun
|
Kanji + Kana
|
{月日|つきひ}
|
Formality Spectrum
{召し上がる|めしあがる} (Dining)
{食べる|たべる} (Dining)
{食う|くう} (Dining)
{食う|くう} (Dining)
Okurigana Anatomy
Verb
- {飲む|のむ} To drink
Adjective
- {高い|たかい} Expensive
Examples by Level
{食べる|たべる}が好きです。
I like to eat.
{行く|いく}。
I will go.
{見る|みる}。
I will watch.
{飲む|のむ}。
I will drink.
{行かない|いかない}。
I will not go.
{高い|たかい}です。
It is expensive.
{楽しい|たのしい}です。
It is fun.
{大きい|おおきい}です。
It is big.
{書き直す|かきなおす}。
To rewrite.
{立ち上がる|たちあがる}。
To stand up.
{美しい|うつくしい}景色。
Beautiful scenery.
{話し合う|はなしあう}。
To discuss.
{取り消す|とりけす}。
To cancel.
{差し出す|さしだす}。
To present.
{思い出す|おもいだす}。
To recall.
{引き受ける|ひきうける}。
To undertake.
{打ち合わせ|うちあわせ}。
Meeting.
{申し込む|もうしこむ}。
To apply.
{立ち寄る|たちよる}。
To stop by.
{書き留める|かきとめる}。
To jot down.
{心当たり|こころあたり}。
Knowledge of.
{言いつける|いいつける}。
To command.
{取り扱う|とりあつかう}。
To handle.
{見せかける|みせかける}。
To pretend.
Easily Confused
Learners often think they are the same.
Some words look like verbs but are nouns.
Adding too much kana.
Common Mistakes
{食る}
{食べる}
{行いく}
{行く}
{高}
{高い}
{見}
{見る}
{行かない}
{行かない}
{大き}
{大きい}
{楽し}
{楽しい}
{書き直}
{書き直す}
{立ち上が}
{立ち上がる}
{話し合}
{話し合う}
{打ち合わ}
{打ち合わせ}
{申し込}
{申し込む}
{立ち寄}
{立ち寄る}
Sentence Patterns
私は___をします。
それはとても___です。
___を___します。
___を___してください。
Real World Usage
{食べる|たべる}なう
{行く|いく}ね
{引き受ける|ひきうける}所存です
{立ち寄る|たちよる}場所
{注文|ちゅうもん}する
{書き留める|かきとめる}
Use a dictionary
Don't guess
Read more
Be professional
Smart Tips
Always check the dictionary for the verb's stem.
Remember the final 'i'.
Check the official rules.
Consistency is key.
Pronunciation
Stem reading
The kanji part usually keeps its reading, while the okurigana changes.
Flat
taberu
Standard neutral tone.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Okurigana is the 'tail' of the kanji; it wags to show the verb's tense.
Visual Association
Imagine a kanji as a person and the okurigana as their shoes. When they run (conjugate), they change their shoes.
Rhyme
Kanji is the head, kana is the tail, without the tail, the reading will fail.
Story
A man named Kanji went to a party. He wore a hat (the kanji). He needed to dance, so he put on different shoes (the okurigana) for every dance move. If he didn't change his shoes, he couldn't dance correctly.
Word Web
Challenge
Write down 5 verbs you know and underline the okurigana part.
Cultural Notes
The Ministry of Education sets the rules for okurigana to ensure national consistency in schools.
Correct okurigana is essential in business documents to show professionalism.
Authors sometimes use non-standard okurigana for artistic effect.
Okurigana evolved as a way to adapt Chinese characters to the Japanese language.
Conversation Starters
How do you write 'to eat' in Japanese?
Why do we add kana to kanji?
What is the okurigana for 'to stand up'?
Are there exceptions to okurigana rules?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
{食___}ます
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
{高}です
{行く} -> ?
{話す} is correct.
A: {食べる}？ B: {食___}。
{美しい} + {景色}
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises{食___}ます
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
{高}です
{行く} -> ?
{話す} is correct.
A: {食べる}？ B: {食___}。
{美しい} + {景色}
{書き直す}
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercises手紙を{書|か}___。
温度をあがる。
映画 / を / {見|み} / た
It is cold.
Choose the correct noun form:
Match the pairs:
{新|あたら}___。
{歩|ある}く。
Select the correct form:
To stand.
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
It's the kana suffix for kanji.
To read kanji correctly.
By memorizing verb endings.
No, it changes with conjugation.
No, it's essential for writing.
No, furigana is a reading guide.
It's okay, but try to fix it.
Yes, set by the government.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Verb endings
Spanish uses letters; Japanese uses kana after kanji.
Verb endings
French is alphabetic; Japanese is logographic.
Suffixes
German is inflectional; Japanese is agglutinative.
Okurigana
None.
Root system
Arabic is root-based; Japanese is character-based.
None
Chinese has no okurigana.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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