Katakana is the second syllabary that Japanese children have to learn. They learn it at a very early age, while playing at Playcentre, Kindergarten and more seriously at Primary School level. The script has exactly the same patterns as the hiragana script. Although that may seem strange, one has to remember that English has also got two sets of letters: small letters and capital letters, so not so strange after all.
Katakana symbols are used for all words that come from other languages than Japanese, Korean or Chinese. As in modern times the list of new words borrowed from English is growing, so more and more katakana words are added to the language.
The keyboard of a Japanese computer
Colourful charts help little children at home
Small electronic toys also help the learning process
And then there is hard work and practice
(Notice that this child still confuses hiragana and katakana)
ド レ ミ ファ ソ ラ シ ド
do re mi fa so la si do
and you practise… practise… practise…!
かなマスター Kana master
If all else fails, may be try wisdom…
ニューヨーク ザ ビッグアップル
New York The Big Apple
A name stamp for an ALEXIS
Here is an easy printable katakana sheet:
(just click on the sheet and it will open in A4 size)
Same idea, but the next chart would empty your colour printer cartridges:
Here is a wonderful video clip which demonstrates the katakana syllabary. Enjoy the laughter!
Here is a list of all the katakana with action pictures：
アスパラガス asparagus
インターネット internet
ウィークエンドパス weekend pass
エレベーター elevator
オープニングイベント opening event
カラオケ karaoke at the
ドレミファ クラブ Doremifa Kurabu
(As one patron noted to the other: That is So Doremifa!)
からオケ kara means empty and oke means orchestra. Now you know why it is so popular: music without effort, just for you and your friends.
The word katakana is actually written in hiragana as it is not a “borrowed word”. The Advertising World for you!
キーワードクイズキャンペーン
keyword quiz campaign
クニマス a sort of trout
ケンタッキー Kentucky
コカコーラ coca cola
サンマルク sun mark
シマダヤ Shimada Shop
スピードマスター speed master
セキネ sekine
[name of a clothing shop]
ソニー Sony
タクシー taxi
ターミナル terminal
チキンカレー chicken curry
ツーリスト tourist
There is a more commonly used Japanese word for
tourist: 観光客, or かんこうきゃく
テニス tennis
テーブル下ヒーター under-the-table heater
this type of heater is used in a so-called kotatsu
トマト ダイエット tomato diet
Noumea is the capital of New Caledonia. great place! beautiful weather! lots of Japanese tourists and lots of
いっらしゃいませ irasshaimase Welcome
ネクタイ necktie
we would call it just a ‘tie’
ノート exercise book
the word comes from ‘note book’
ハンバーガー hamburger
ヒ hi
who knows what it means? ヒ
there you have it: advertising for you!
フレッシュトマト fresh tomato
ファンタ Fanta
ヘルプ help
weird: only in advertising
ホノルル Honolulu
the other places are:
ロンドン London
パリ Paris
バンコク Bangkok
シンガポール Singapore
and all that with
Edy’s 10000 yen a minute as a プレゼント present!
マクドナルド McDonald’s
Say no more! The Golden Arches
ミスタースパーコル Mr Sparkle
The mind boggles: something is clean, but who knows what?! Well, actually, one would think it read Mr Super Call, but it doesn’t.
The problem with this sign is there are two spelling mistakes on it. Mr Genuine Homer Imitation says: Hawaa Kuriin, but it should have been Pawaa Kuriin. Then one could have recognised the words Power Clean, which makes sense when combined with Mr Sparkle. Also when things SPARKLE in Japan, they should スパークル. Oh, well…
So annoying, when you stand in front of that shop and you can’t even read the katakana and then you realise it was a spelling mistake or two all along! LOL. Yeah…
Anyway, the advertiser meant well and hour Englsihs spilling ins’t two hot iether – so their!
ミルク milk
the cow-juice variety is called
牛乳 ぎゅうにゅう milk
いちごムース strawberry mousse
ロールケーキ roll cake
the ‘mousse’ is pronounced ‘moo-se’ as in ‘Canadian animal’, not ‘mouse’ as in ‘rodent’, ‘vermin’. just in case you were confused. let’s not have strawberry vermin cake! LOL
メガネ glasses
モノレール monorail
ヤフー Yahoo
ユースホステル Youth Hostel
ヨガ yoga with DVD!!!
ラーメン raamen noodles
明治ラブ Meiji Love
Meiji is a major dairy producer, everything from milk to chocolate. The name Meiji is the name of the first Japanese emperor of the new era.
カルシウム Calcium
リテイルシステムズ retail systems
ル ru
? and more advertising… but what?
レンタカー rental car
ロケットにんじん rocket carrot
just in case you were confused about the shape of the carrot, the picture should make it clear: rocket carrots fly into your mouth!
ワンマン one man
there are no words in Japanese that begin with ン
the sign announces that the driver is the only official one man on board the train. the computer does the rest and ‘the other man’ is doing the computer and watching the camera. it also suggests: don’t bother the driver!
ヴァレンタイン デイ
Valentine’s Day boom-be-dee-boom ドキドキ
Here are some extra modern Japanese katakana words:
アリガトウ ゴザイマシタ！
ありがとう ございました！
Thank you
Lami Japan 
