What is Katakana?
Q: What is Katakana?
A: Katakana is a Japanese script used for writing words borrowed from other languages.
Q: How many symbols are there in the Katakana script?
A: There are 46 katakana symbols.
Q: How does the English alphabet compare to a syllabary?
A: In English we use letters of the alphabet, and each letter stands for a bit of sound (a phoneme). In a syllabary each symbol stands for a syllable.
Q: What is Hiragana?
A: Hiragana is another type of Japanese script that works in the same way as Katakana, but with mostly different symbols.
Q: Are Katakana and Hiragana both considered Kana?
A: Yes, together they are called "Kana".
Q: Is it easier to learn Katakana or Hiragana?
A: It may be easier to learn Katakan because the symbols are simpler and more “squared off” than those in Hiragama.
Q: How do you pronounce words written in Katakana?
A: Once the 46 katakna symbols have been learned, the reader knows how to pronounce them.
