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)


Romanizationsashisusesoshashusho
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)


Romanizationzajizuzezojajujo
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)


Romanizationtachitsutetochachucho
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)


Romanizationdajizudedojajujo
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)


Romanizationhahifuhehohyahyuhyo
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)


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


Romanizationshisotsurin
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)


Romanizationchiname
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)