katakana
Speech parts
1. katakana - Noun
2. Katakana - Proper noun
Meaning
(uncountable) A Japanese syllabary used when writing words borrowed from foreign languages other than Chinese, specific names of plants and animals and other jargon, onomatopoeia, or to emphasize a word or phrase. Also used to write the Ainu language.
A character thereof.
Katakana
Alternative spelling of katakana
Synonyms
Related terms
Examples
Adding to the confusion, the labels are written in Kanji, Hiragana, or Katakana.
Although bopomofo characters are reminiscent of katakana script, there is no source to substantiate the claim that Katakana was the basis for the zhuyin system.
Both approaches conceal the fact, though, that many consonant-based katakana signs, especially those canonically ending in u, can be used in coda position, too, where the vowel is unvoiced and therefore barely perceptible.
Although words borrowed from ancient Chinese are usually written in kanji, loanwords from modern Chinese dialects which are borrowed directly use katakana rather than the Sino-Japanese on'yomi readings.
Additionally, there are halfwidth equivalents to the standard fullwidth katakana.
Both katakana and hiragana usually spell native long vowels with the addition of a second vowel kana, but katakana uses a vowel extender mark, called a chōonpu ("long vowel mark"), in foreign loanwords.