looks like a chicken chirping for her chicks but sounds like the first part of “CHEEks”.
TSU
つ is like a long TSUnami.
TE
て is like a TEble (table).
TO
と is one TOe in the air and the other straight ahead.
NA
な is a person about to tie a kNOt.
NI
に is like the side view of a KNEE.
NU
ぬ is like two long NOOdles floating in soup.
NE
ね looks like it’s made up of the two English letters that spell its pronunciation: n and an upside down e.
NO
の is similar to the symbol for NO in a smoking sign.
HA
は is like a Japanese boy in a HAt waving his HAnd saying “HAi!” to answer a question.
HI
ひ is shaped like a big mouth laughing: HI, HI, HI.
FU
ふ is like a person sneezing saying aaaaFU.
HE
へ is one HEck of a hill.
HO
ほ is like Santa waving and saying “HO HO HO!”.
MA
ま is like a MArshmallow making its way round and round on a skewer.
MI
み looks like the letter “m” and sounds like the ME in “MEdium”.
MU
む has an “oo” sound like す, with a mark and a tail that have been MOved to the right.
ME
め is the ME in raMEn, and is long, curvy, and delicious like the ぬ in noodles.
MO
も is like し, but like with one MO’ notch on the hook for one MO’ fish having been caught.
YA
や is a hippo making a large YAwn.
YU
ゆ is Uncle Sam moving his hand up, around, and at you, saying, “I want YOU.”
YO
よ is like a hand signal for someone who says “YO!”
RA
ら is shaped like the base of the ear and the side of the face of a RAccoon.
RI
り is like the end of a juicy rib ready for the gRIll.
RU
る is like the letter “r” with a lOOp on the end.
RE
れ is shaped like a leg (the Japanese might say “REg”) with a foot at the end.
RO
ろ is like the letter “r” with an Open curl on the end.
WA
わ is shaped somewhat like an ancient haniWA horse sculpture.
O
を is shaped like a man jumping Over an obstacle.
