Katakana
Building block:The same sounds as hiragana in more angular shapes, used mainly for words from other languages and for names.
How it works
- Each katakana has a hiragana twin with the same sound: か and カ, し and シ.
- A few shapes look like their twins: カか キき セせ ヘへ モも ヤや リり.
- Loanwords need a few extra sounds and a long bar: see katakana extras.
Examples
コーヒー(coffee)
カメラ(camera)