4.5. Katakana shapes

4.5.1. Comparison between hiragana and katakana


Some katakana look like the corresponding hiragana, but many of them are different. Hiragana often have round curves, and katakana often have straight lines.

Romanizationaiueo
Hiragana (a) (i) (u) (e) (o)
Katakana (a) (i) (u) (e) (o)


Romanizationkakikukekokyakyukyo
Hiragana (ka) (ki) (ku) (ke) (ko) (ki)(small ya) (ki)(small yu) (ki)(small yo)
Katakana (ka) (ki) (ku) (ke) (ko) (ki)(small ya) (ki)(small yu) (ki)(small yo)


Romanizationgagigugegogyagyugyo
Hiragana (ga) (gi) (gu) (ge) (go) (gi)(small ya) (gi)(small yu) (gi)(small yo)
Katakana (ga) (gi) (gu) (ge) (go) (gi)(small ya) (gi)(small yu) (gi)(small yo)


Romanizationsasisusesosyasyusyo
Hiragana (sa) (si) (su) (se) (so) (si)(small ya) (si)(small yu) (si)(small yo)
Katakana (sa) (si) (su) (se) (so) (si)(small ya) (si)(small yu) (si)(small yo)


Romanizationzazizuzezozyazyuzyo
Hiragana (za) (zi) (zu) (ze) (zo) (zi)(small ya) (zi)(small yu) (zi)(small yo)
Katakana (za) (zi) (zu) (ze) (zo) (zi)(small ya) (zi)(small yu) (zi)(small yo)


Romanizationtatitutetotyatyutyo
Hiragana (ta) (ti) (tu) (te) (to) (ti)(small ya) (ti)(small yu) (ti)(small yo)
Katakana (ta) (ti) (tu) (te) (to) (ti)(small ya) (ti)(small yu) (ti)(small yo)


Romanizationdazizudedozyazyuzyo
Hiragana (da) (di) (du) (de) (do) (di)(small ya) (di)(small yu) (di)(small yo)
Katakana (da) (di) (du) (de) (do) (di)(small ya) (di)(small yu) (di)(small yo)


Romanizationnaninunenonyanyunyo
Hiragana (na) (ni) (nu) (ne) (no) (ni)(small ya) (ni)(small yu) (ni)(small yo)
Katakana (na) (ni) (nu) (ne) (no) (ni)(small ya) (ni)(small yu) (ni)(small yo)


Romanizationhahihuhehohyahyuhyo
Hiragana (ha) (hi) (hu) (he) (ho) (hi)(small ya) (hi)(small yu) (hi)(small yo)
Katakana (ha) (hi) (hu) (he) (ho) (hi)(small ya) (hi)(small yu) (hi)(small yo)


Romanizationbabibubebobyabyubyo
Hiragana (ba) (bi) (bu) (be) (bo) (bi)(small ya) (bi)(small yu) (bi)(small yo)
Katakana (ba) (bi) (bu) (be) (bo) (bi)(small ya) (bi)(small yu) (bi)(small yo)


Romanizationpapipupepopyapyupyo
Hiragana (pa) (pi) (pu) (pe) (po) (pi)(small ya) (pi)(small yu) (pi)(small yo)
Katakana (pa) (pi) (pu) (pe) (po) (pi)(small ya) (pi)(small yu) (pi)(small yo)


Romanizationmamimumemomyamyumyo
Hiragana (ma) (mi) (mu) (me) (mo) (mi)(small ya) (mi)(small yu) (mi)(small yo)
Katakana (ma) (mi) (mu) (me) (mo) (mi)(small ya) (mi)(small yu) (mi)(small yo)


Romanizationyaiyueyo
Hiragana (ya) (i) (yu) (e) (yo)
Katakana (ya) (i) (yu) (e) (yo)


Romanizationrarirureroryaryuryo
Hiragana (ra) (ri) (ru) (re) (ro) (ri)(small ya) (ri)(small yu) (ri)(small yo)
Katakana (ra) (ri) (ru) (re) (ro) (ri)(small ya) (ri)(small yu) (ri)(small yo)


Romanizationwaiueo
Hiragana (wa) (wi) (u) (we) (wo)
Katakana (wa) (wi) (u) (we) (wo)


Romanizationn-
Hiragana (n) (small_tu)
Katakana (n) (small_tu)


4.5.2. Confusing katakana


The following katakana resemble one another.

Romanizationama
Katakana (a) (ma)


Romanizationukuketehurawao
Katakana (u) (ku) (ke) (te) (hu) (ra) (wa) (wo)


Romanizationsisoturin
Katakana (si) (so) (tu) (ri) (n)

These katakana are indeed confusing. Written from left to right, the lines of (si) have the beginning points at the left side of the katakana. Written from top to bottom, those in (tu) have the beginning points at the upper side.

The lines of (n) are similar to those in (si), and the lines of (so) are similar to (tu).

The lines of (ri) are parallel in the upper half of it.



Romanizationsunu
Katakana (su) (nu)


Romanizationtiname
Katakana (ti) (na) (me)


Romanizationnimi
Katakana (ni) (mi)


Romanizationnorure
Katakana (no) (ru) (re)



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Copyright(C) TAKASUGI Shinji (ts@sf.airnet.ne.jp)