The Iroha, in several forms. For my own study. And maybe yours.
This ancient poem is a Japanese pangram. It contains every Japanese letter, exactly once. English natives may compare it to The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog., or many such strings across languages:
- Victor jagt zwölf Boxkämpfer quer über den großen Sylter Deich
- Pa’s wijze lynx bezag vroom het fikse aquaduct.
- Benjamín pidió una bebida de kiwi y fresa. Noé, sin vergüenza, la más exquisita champaña del menú.
- Pijamalı hasta yağız şoföre çabucak güvendi.
- نص حكيم له سر قاطع وذو شأن عظيم مكتوب على ثوب أخضر ومغلف بجلد أزرق
This happens to be especially useful in a language that does not have letters as such; but rather it has morae that one can write with any of three alphabets.
Kanji
色は匂えど
散りぬるを
我が世誰ぞ
常ならん
有為の奥山
今日越えて
浅き夢見じ
酔いもせず
Katakana
イロハニホヘト
チリヌルヲ
ワカヨタレソ
ツネナラム
ウヰノオクヤマ
ケフコエテ
アサキユメミシ
ヱヒモセス
Tabular
| Line | Hiragana | Katakana | Romaji |
|---|
- | いろはにほへと | イロハニホヘト | i ro ha ni ho he to
- | ちりぬるを | チリヌルヲ | chi ri nu ru wo
- | わかよたれそ | ワカヨタレソ | wa ka yo ta re so
- | つねならむ | ツネナラム | tsu ne na ra mu
- | うゐのおくやま | ウヰノオクヤマ | u wi no o ku ya ma
- | けふこえて | ケフコエテ | ke fu ko e te
- | あさきゆめみし | アサキユメミシ | a sa ki yu me mi shi
- | ゑひもせす | ヱヒモセス | we hi mo se su
Hiragana, Ink, Light, and Pixels
In 2020 or so I tried my hand at a paper instantiation. Chisel-tip marker, colored pencil, and a soldering iron for some reason.
いろはにほへと
ちりぬるを
わかよたれそ
つねならむ
うゐのおくやま
けふこえて
あさきゆめみし
ゑひもせす