Katakana
Introduction
Katakana is the exact equivalent of Hiragana when it comes to pronunciation. The main
difference is how the characters are written and when they are used.
Katakana characters tend to look more angular and there is almost nothing in common with
how characters look compared to their Hiragana counterparts, except for a few.
The main use of Katakana is to differentiate and spell out foreign words using Japanese
syllables. This makes it easier for Japanese people to know how they are approximately
pronounced. Most country names, foreign names, and all loan words from the modern era
are written in Katakana. it's also used to write down onomatopoeia sounds like how you see
"sefs" written in manga. Katakana is also used for technical or scientific words and emphasis
just like how English uses Italics.
Alphabet Chart
Mnemonics for Katakana
ア (a) - axe/arrow
イ (i) - easel on its side
ウ (u) - Hiragana う
Introduction
Katakana is the exact equivalent of Hiragana when it comes to pronunciation. The main
difference is how the characters are written and when they are used.
Katakana characters tend to look more angular and there is almost nothing in common with
how characters look compared to their Hiragana counterparts, except for a few.
The main use of Katakana is to differentiate and spell out foreign words using Japanese
syllables. This makes it easier for Japanese people to know how they are approximately
pronounced. Most country names, foreign names, and all loan words from the modern era
are written in Katakana. it's also used to write down onomatopoeia sounds like how you see
"sefs" written in manga. Katakana is also used for technical or scientific words and emphasis
just like how English uses Italics.
Alphabet Chart
Mnemonics for Katakana
ア (a) - axe/arrow
イ (i) - easel on its side
ウ (u) - Hiragana う
