Katakana
OriginJapan
Earliest800
TypeSyllabary
About Katakana
The angular syllabary of Japanese, developed by monks as shorthand pronunciation marks beside Chinese texts. 46 basic signs, mostly fragments of characters. Standard for foreign loanwords, names, scientific terms, and emphasis. Manga shouts and robot speech are rendered in it for punch. Part of the three-script literacy of every Japanese reader.
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