Japanese Katakana Words with Black Dots341

In the Japanese writing system, katakana is one of the three main types of characters used to write Japanese words and phrases. Katakana is a syllabary, meaning that each character represents a syllable. The characters are angular and blocky, and they are often used to write foreign words and phrases, as well as onomatopoeia and sound effects.

Some katakana characters have black dots inside them. These dots are called ten-ten (てんてん), and they serve to differentiate between two different pronunciations of the same character. For example, the character カ (ka) is pronounced "ka" when it has no ten-ten, but it is pronounced "ga" when it has two ten-ten: ガ (ga).

The following table shows the katakana characters that have ten-ten, along with their pronunciations:
CharacterPronunciation
カka
ガga
キki
ギgi
クku
グgu
ケke
ゲge
コko
ゴgo
サsa
ザza
シshi
ジji
スsu
ズzu
セse
ゼze
ソso
ゾzo
タta
ダda
チchi
ヂji
ツtsu
ヅzu
テte
デde
トto
ドdo
ナna
ニni
ヌnu
ネne
ノno
ハha
バba
ヒhi
ビbi
フfu
ブbu
ヘhe
ベbe
ホho
ボbo
パpa
ピpi
プpu
ペpe
ポpo

The ten-ten can also be used to change the pronunciation of other katakana characters. For example, the character ン (n) is pronounced "n" when it has no ten-ten, but it is pronounced "m" when it has two ten-ten: ン (m).

The ten-ten is a useful tool for differentiating between different pronunciations of katakana characters. It is important to be able to recognize and use the ten-ten correctly in order to be able to read and write Japanese accurately.

2025-02-03

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