Ni (kana)

ni
hiragana katakana
transliteration	ni
hiragana origin	仁
katakana origin	仁

に, in hiragana, or ニ in katakana, is one of the Japanese kana, which each represent one mora. The hiragana is written in three strokes, while the katakana in two. Both represent /ni/ although for phonological reasons, the actual pronunciation is [nʲi].

Notably, the katakana (ニ) is functionally identical to the kanji for two (二), pronounced the same way.

に is used as a particle, as well as a word fragment. As a particle it generally expresses direction, with a similar function to the English 'to'.

i.e. Ton wa, Furansu "ni" ikimashita. Ton went "to" France.

Pan wa, Ton "ni" agemashita. Bread was given "to" Ton.

Stroke order

Stroke order in writing に

Stroke order in writing ニ

The hiragana に is made with three strokes:

1. A vertical stroke from top to bottom.
2. A short, horizontal stroke to the upper right of the first stroke, going from left to right.
3. Another short, horizontal stroke at the bottom right of the first stroke, going from left to right.

The katakana ニ is made with two strokes:

1. At the top, a horizontal stroke from left to right.
2. Another, longer horizontal stroke under the first stroke

Other representations

• Computer encodings

• Braille

に / ニ in Japanese Braille		N + Yōon braille
に / ニ ni	にい / ニー nī	にゃ / ニャ nya	にゃあ / ニャー nyā	にゅ / ニュ nyu	にゅう / ニュー nyū	にょ / ニョ nyo	にょう / ニョー nyō

• Japanese semaphore

Look up に or ニ in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.