4.5. Katakana shapes
4.5.1. Comparison between hiragana and katakana
Some of the katakana look like the corresponding hiragana, but many of them are different. Hiragana often have round curves, and katakana often have straight lines.
Phonemes | /a/ | /i/ | /u/ | /e/ | /o/
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Romanization | "a" | "i" | "u" | "e" | "o"
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Hiragana
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Katakana
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Phonemes | /ka/ | /ki/ | /ku/ | /ke/ | /ko/ | /kya/ | /kyu/ | /kyo/
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Romanization | "ka" | "ki" | "ku" | "ke" | "ko" | "kya" | "kyu" | "kyo"
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Hiragana
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Katakana
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Phonemes | /ga/ | /gi/ | /gu/ | /ge/ | /go/ | /gya/ | /gyu/ | /gyo/
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Romanization | "ga" | "gi" | "gu" | "ge" | "go" | "gya" | "gyu" | "gyo"
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Hiragana
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Katakana
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Phonemes | /sa/ | /si/ | /su/ | /se/ | /so/ | /sya/ | /syu/ | /syo/
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Romanization | "sa" | "shi" | "su" | "se" | "so" | "sha" | "shu" | "sho"
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Hiragana
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Katakana
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Phonemes | /za/ | /zi/ | /zu/ | /ze/ | /zo/ | /zya/ | /zyu/ | /zyo/
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Romanization | "za" | "ji" | "zu" | "ze" | "zo" | "ja" | "ju" | "jo"
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Hiragana
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Katakana
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Phonemes | /ta/ | /ti/ | /tu/ | /te/ | /to/ | /tya/ | /tyu/ | /tyo/
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Romanization | "ta" | "chi" | "tsu" | "te" | "to" | "cha" | "chu" | "cho"
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Hiragana
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Katakana
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Phonemes | /da/ | /di/ | /du/ | /de/ | /do/ | /dya/ | /dyu/ | /dyo/
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Romanization | "da" | "ji" | "zu" | "de" | "do" | "ja" | "ju" | "jo"
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Hiragana
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Katakana
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Phonemes | /na/ | /ni/ | /nu/ | /ne/ | /no/ | /nya/ | /nyu/ | /nyo/
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Romanization | "na" | "ni" | "nu" | "ne" | "no" | "nya" | "nyu" | "nyo"
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Hiragana
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Katakana
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Phonemes | /ha/ | /hi/ | /hu/ | /he/ | /ho/ | /hya/ | /hyu/ | /hyo/
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Romanization | "ha" | "hi" | "fu" | "he" | "ho" | "hya" | "hyu" | "hyo"
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Hiragana
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Katakana
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Phonemes | /ba/ | /bi/ | /bu/ | /be/ | /bo/ | /bya/ | /byu/ | /byo/
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Romanization | "ba" | "bi" | "bu" | "be" | "bo" | "bya" | "byu" | "byo"
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Hiragana
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Katakana
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Phonemes | /pa/ | /pi/ | /pu/ | /pe/ | /po/ | /pya/ | /pyu/ | /pyo/
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Romanization | "pa" | "pi" | "pu" | "pe" | "po" | "pya" | "pyu" | "pyo"
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Hiragana
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Katakana
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Phonemes | /ma/ | /mi/ | /mu/ | /me/ | /mo/ | /mya/ | /myu/ | /myo/
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Romanization | "ma" | "mi" | "mu" | "me" | "mo" | "mya" | "myu" | "myo"
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Hiragana
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Katakana
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Phonemes | /ya/ | /i/ | /yu/ | /e/ | /yo/
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Romanization | "ya" | "i" | "yu" | "e" | "yo"
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Hiragana
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Katakana
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Phonemes | /ra/ | /ri/ | /ru/ | /re/ | /ro/ | /rya/ | /ryu/ | /ryo/
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Romanization | "ra" | "ri" | "ru" | "re" | "ro" | "rya" | "ryu" | "ryo"
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Hiragana
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Katakana
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Phonemes | /wa/ | /i/ | /u/ | /e/ | /o/
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Romanization | "wa" | "i" | "u" | "e" | "o"
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Hiragana
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Katakana
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Phonemes | /N/ | /Q/
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Romanization | "n" | -
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Hiragana
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Katakana
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4.5.2. Confusing katakana
The following katakana resemble one another.
Phonemes | /a/ | /ma/
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Romanization | "a" | "ma"
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Katakana
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Phonemes | /u/ | /ku/ | /ke/ | /te/ | /hu/ | /ra/ | /wa/ | /o/
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Romanization | "u" | "ku" | "ke" | "te" | "fu" | "ra" | "wa" | "o"
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Katakana
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Phonemes | /si/ | /so/ | /tu/ | /ri/ | /N/
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Romanization | "shi" | "so" | "tsu" | "ri" | "n"
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Katakana
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These katakana are indeed confusing. Written from left to right, the lines in the katakana
/si/ "shi" have the beginning points at the left side of the katakana. Written from top to bottom, those in the katakana
/tu/ "tsu" have the beginning points at the upper side.
The lines in the katakana
/N/ "n" are similar to those in the katakana
/si/ "shi", and the katakana
/so/ "so" is similar to the katakana
/tu/ "tsu".
The lines in the katakana
/ri/ "ri" are parallel in the upper half of it.
Phonemes | /su/ | /nu/
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Romanization | "su" | "nu"
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Katakana
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Phonemes | /ti/ | /na/ | /me/
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Romanization | "chi" | "na" | "me"
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Katakana
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Phonemes | /ni/ | /mi/
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Romanization | "ni" | "mi"
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Katakana
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Phonemes | /no/ | /ru/ | /re/
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Romanization | "no" | "ru" | "re"
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Katakana
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Copyright(C) TAKASUGI Shinji (ts@sf.airnet.ne.jp)