* Writing words that don't have kanji: This includes grammatical particles, verb endings, and words that are not represented by kanji. For example, "wa" (は), "no" (の), "desu" (です), "shi" (し).
* Writing words with kanji that are difficult to read: Sometimes, especially for very uncommon kanji, hiragana is used to write the pronunciation of the kanji.
* Writing words with multiple pronunciations: Certain kanji can be read in different ways, so hiragana is used to clarify which pronunciation is intended.
* Writing words that have no kanji counterpart: Some words, particularly loanwords from other languages, are written entirely in hiragana.
* Adding emphasis or clarity: Hiragana can be used to emphasize certain parts of a word or sentence, making it easier to understand.
* Writing children's books and materials: Hiragana is often used in books and learning materials for young children, as it's easier to learn than kanji.
Overall, hiragana is essential for writing and reading Japanese, providing the phonetic foundation for the language. It works in conjunction with kanji and katakana to form a complex but expressive writing system.