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( a script )
| Type of script: | Syllabary |
|---|---|
| Script category: | Sinitic scripts |
| Number of characters: | 46 |
| Period of use: | 1200 - |
| Parent script: | Man'yoogana (show family tree) |
| Names: | Katakana, カタカナ |
Katakana is used to write foreign names, loanwords, onomatopoeic words, exclamations, and some specialized scientific terminology. The characters themselves are derived from Chinese characters, through extraction of part of the Chinese character. The current collection of 46 characters was fixed by a regulation from the Ministry of Education in 1900. The katakana (and hiragana) characters that were rejected in this reform are today known as hentaigana.
Languages written with this script:
| Article: | http://www.omniglot.com/writing/japanese.htm |
| Site about: | http://members.aol.com/writejapan/ |