いろは

い

ろ

は

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

noun

traditional ordering of the Japanese syllabary; iroha order

usually written using kana alone

Refers to the classical poem-based ordering of kana, often used as a framework for listing or categorizing things.

いろは順じゅんに並ならべてください。
Please arrange them in iroha order.

noun

fundamentals; the ABCs of ...

usually written using kana alone

Used figuratively to mean the basics or rudiments of a subject, similar to 'the ABCs' in English.

まずは経けい済ざいのいろはを学まなびたい。
First, I want to learn the ABCs of economics.

See all 10 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉のいろはthe ABCs / fundamentals of something
この本ほんは料りょう理りのいろはを教おしえてくれる。
This book teaches you the fundamentals of cooking.
いろはを覚おぼえるto memorize the iroha kana ordering
子こ供どものころにいろはを覚おぼえた。
I memorized the iroha ordering when I was a child.
いろはも知しらないto not even know the basics of something
彼かれはパソコンのいろはも知しらない。
He doesn't even know the basics of computers.

Kanji

伊Italy, that one
呂spine, backbone
波waves, billows, Poland
色color
葉leaf, plane, lobe
以by means of, because, in view of

Related words

基き礎そN3sense 2
基礎 is the plain, everyday word for the 'basics' of any subject, while いろは is a more vivid, idiomatic way to say 'the ABCs' of something, evoking the kana syllabary.
初しょ歩ほN1sense 2
初歩 emphasizes the very first, elementary steps of learning something, whereas いろは refers to the whole set of fundamental building blocks one must master.

Don't confuse with

五ご十じゅう音おんN2sense 1
五十音 is the modern, systematic ordering of kana used in dictionaries and textbooks, while いろは is the older poem-based ordering now mostly used for decorative lists or numbering items.

Written forms

いろはUsage65%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms are rare or search-only.
イロハUsage29%
kana-only spelling
伊い呂ろ波はUsage3%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; it is rarely used.
色いろ葉はUsage1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; it is rarely used.
以い呂ろ波はUsage1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; it is rarely used.

Etymology

Named from the opening characters いろは of the いろは歌, a pangrammatic ordering of the traditional kana. Its author is unknown; attribution to 空海 is traditional.