hiragana or katakana

[koji112091]

Hi. for a while I have been spelling karate with hiragana but I recently found it spelled with katakana. I know that it would probably be spelled with kanji but if it was with some kind of kana which would it be.

OSU!

[Satori]

Katakana is usually only used to spell foreign words that have been brought into Japanese (like toilet or someone's name). Katakana has a lot of sounds missing, so unless you have to spell it in katakana, don't.

[Kurisu]

I've seen karate spelled in katakana quite a bit. I never understood why since it's a Japanese word.

[nzproud]

I have seen it in katakana a lot too. I never really thought why tho..

[Lanky Sempai]

Ive never seen it in Hiragana, only ever Katakana or Kanji. Funnily enough more often than not Katakana.

[Satori]

Probably to make it more accessible to Westerners since katakana is quite easy to learn.

[vapor]

The Asakusa dojo has it spelled out in Katakana.

I will post pictures when I am back home this weekend.

vapor

[smoothsake]

Katakana is often used in Japanese to EMPHASIZE a word. This is true for many Japanese words even though there are kanji equivalents and obviously a hiragana version. Karate is often spelled out in katakana for that very reason although usually in an informal setting. Kanji will be used for promotion certificates and tournament banners, etc.

[Lanky Sempai]

Originally Posted by Satori

Probably to make it more accessible to Westerners since katakana is quite easy to learn.

Eh? How is katakana any easier than hiragana?

[Satori]

Originally Posted by Lanky Sempai

Eh? How is katakana any easier than hiragana?

Because the symbols are easier to remember?

[Lanky Sempai]

Originally Posted by Satori

Because the symbols are easier to remember?

O.k.

[Satori]

Compare the charts below.

Hiragana:


Katakana:


The katakana is obviously simpler and easier for someone to remember how to draw (or write).

[smoothsake]

Originally Posted by Satori

Probably to make it more accessible to Westerners since katakana is quite easy to learn.

That's not true. If that were true then they (the Japanese) would just write karate in English.

[Kurisu]

Here's an example:



Karate is spelled in katana in the bottom right hand corner.

[boldbhoy]

Thanks satori for the charts, very interesting, but it all looks like too much hard work on the brain for me. Osu!

[Bruce]

okay I'm somewhat confused - where is the rest of the alphabet (english) or do a lot of letters not have comparable sounds in Japanese? Surely these (relatively) few sounds can't be used to make an entire language? I'm probably asking totally dumb questions here.......I think I mght slink off and try and find an explanation of Japanese elsewhere on the web. Can anyone reccomend a good website?

[Lanky Sempai]

Originally Posted by Bruce

okay I'm somewhat confused - where is the rest of the alphabet (english) or do a lot of letters not have comparable sounds in Japanese? Surely these (relatively) few sounds can't be used to make an entire language? I'm probably asking totally dumb questions here.......I think I mght slink off and try and find an explanation of Japanese elsewhere on the web. Can anyone reccomend a good website?

48 each of hiragana and katakana and kanji well into the 1000's each with at the least 2 or 3 readings, let alone when you combine them. Make 26 letters seem a little light on the ground.

[Bruce]

1000's!!!!! How on earth can anyone know them all??? I'm definately going to find myself some kind of explanation on the internet.

[orisha66]

I think Hiragana looks coool....

[orisha66]

Although the karate in katakana looks pretty hardcore.