Ruth Bolton www.eiwago.co.uk

An
Introduction
to
Katakana
Ruth Bolton
www.eiwago.co.uk
Introduction
My first download looked at Hiragana. This booklet will look at katakana.
To all intents and purposes, the sounds are the same as hiragana, the rules
governing the different pronunciation are the same, as are the combinations.
Katakana only differs from Hiragana in two ways: Form and function.
Form
A
I
U
E
O
アイウエオ K カキクケコ G ガギグゲゴ S サシスセゾ Z
ザジズゼゾ T
タチツテト D
ダヂヅデド N
ナ
二
ヌ
ネ
ノ H
ハヒフへホ B
バ
ビ
ブ
ベ
ボ
P パピプぺポ M マミムメモ Y ヤユヨラリルレロワヲ R W
Nン Combined Forms
ヤ
ユ
ヨ
K キャキュキョ G ギャギュギョ Sh シャシュショジャジュジョ Ch
チャチュチョ J
ジャジュジョ N
ニャ
H
ヒャ
B
ビャ
J
ニュ
ヒュニョビュ
ヒョビョ
P ピャピュピョ M ミャミュミョ R リャリュリョ Function
Katakana is used for words that have been imported from different
languages.
Whereas words written using kanji are of a Chinese origin,
Hiragana for a Sino-Japanese origin, Katakana encompasses all other
languages. Many of the words come form English, though their usage and
meaning can differ greatly. Other words are coinages of modern culture,
some unique to Japanese culture.
Katakana can be used for:
Non-Japanese names：スミス (Smith)
Modern inventions：コンピュター (computer)
Elements of modern life in Japan：アルバイト(part time job)
Recently coined expressions：フリター (NEET)
As Katakana covers such a wide field, words written in Katakana are
numerous, varied, and, in some cases, very unique.
Katakana does not play
as much as an important part in grammar as Hiragana, but is part of the
rich lexicon that makes up the Japanese language. Just as Hiragana does,
each character has a stroke number and order, I suggest that in addition to
Hiragana, those wanting to learn Japanese also use Katakana, however,
Hiragana is more crucial to learning grammar.
A download sheet showing
stroke order of the basic 46 Katakana is available.

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