Japanese words are spelled using characters that represent syllables, rather than short phonetic sounds, as in the English alphabet.

An example of this is the Great Cipher, where numbers were used to represent syllables.

Today, about 70 characters (probably representing syllables) are known.

Although pictures - that is, hieroglyphs - were first used, symbols were later made to represent syllables.

After attempting to create a character for each word, Sequoyah realized this would be too difficult and eventually created characters to represent syllables.

A syllabary is a set of written symbols that represent (or approximate) syllables.

Most of them are abstract signs representing syllables, combinations of which make words.

All remaining base characters represent syllables starting with a consonant.

There are about 87 signs in Linear B that represent syllables.

Scribes gradually developed cuneiform signs to represent syllables and the sounds of the spoken language.