Хіраґана is one of the two phonetic scripts used in the Japanese writing system, the other being катакана. It consists of 46 basic characters, each representing a specific syllable. Хіраґана is primarily used for native Japanese words, grammatical elements, and to indicate the pronunciation of кандзі characters. Developed in the 9th century, хіраґана was created to simplify the complex кандзі system. It is often taught to children and beginners learning Japanese, as it provides a foundation for reading and writing. Together with катакана and кандзі, хіраґана forms the basis of modern Japanese literacy.