Tricky Hiragana: こ, て, に, た, and な

As you continue your Hiragana journey, you'll encounter another set of characters that share familiar shapes, leading to some common mix-ups. This group includes こ (ko), て (te), に (ni), た (ta), and な (na).

Why do they look similar?

The confusion in this group mainly comes from shared components. The character こ (ko) actually appears as a part of other characters like に (ni) and た (ta). Meanwhile, た (ta) and な (na) share the exact same starting strokes on the left side.

Let's break them down to see exactly how they are related and how to tell them apart.

The こ (ko) Connection

The character こ (ko) is the key to unlocking に (ni) and た (ta).

• こ (ko): This character consists of two horizontal-ish lines. The top one is short, and the bottom one is a gentle curve, like a smiley face.
• に (ni): Think of this as "Needle and Ko". It has a vertical line (the needle) on the left, and the character こ (ko) on the right.
• た (ta): This looks like "Ta-da! It's a cross". It has a cross shape (like a lowercase 't') on the left, and the character こ (ko) on the right.

So, if you see こ (ko) on the right side, check the left side:

• Nothing on the left? It's こ (ko).
• Vertical line? It's に (ni).
• Cross/Plus sign? It's た (ta).

The た (ta) and な (na) Confusion

These two are often confused because they both start with the same cross shape on the left. The difference is all in the right side.

• た (ta): As mentioned, the right side is the character こ (ko) (two separate lines).
• な (na): The right side is a small, knotted loop.

Think of な (na) as having a "knat" (knot). If you see the loop, it's な. If you see distinct lines like こ, it's た.

Where does て (te) fit in?

て (te) is the odd one out in this specific comparison, but it's often grouped here because of its simplicity.

• て (te): This is a single stroke that looks like a simplified, open hand or a rounded "7".

It resembles the top half of こ (ko) but continues into a curve without lifting the pen. Unlike the others, it doesn't have a separate left or right side—it's just one fluid shape.

In summary, here's your cheat sheet:

• こ (ko): Two lines, top and bottom.
• て (te): One distinct stroke, curving down.
• に (ni): Vertical line + こ.
• た (ta): Cross shape + こ.
• な (na): Cross shape + Loop (Knot).

Further Resources for Your Hiragana Practice

To master your Hiragana reading skills, use these dedicated charts to practice the full sets where these challenging characters belong to:

• K-Chart (Includes こ - ko): Practice the full ka, ki, ku, ke, ko set.
• T-Chart (Includes て & た): Review the entire ta, chi, tsu, te, to set.
• N-Chart (Includes に & な): Solidify your understanding of the na, ni, nu, ne, no set.