Japanese/Kana/Lessons/Katakana/Lesson 6

Hiragana: [ a ] [ ka ] [ sa ] [ ta ] [ na ] [ ha ] [ ma ] [ ya ] [ ra ] [ wa, wo, n ] [ ゐ and ゑ (ancient hiragana in disuse) ]
Katakana: [ a ] [ ka ] [ sa ] [ ta ] [ na ] [ ha ] [ ma ] [ ya ] [ ra ] [ wa, wo, n ] [ ヰ and ヱ (ancient katakana in disuse) ]

This page introduces "ハ", "ヒ", "フ", "ヘ" and "ホ". Adding two short lines, the dakuten (濁(だく)点(てん)) or, more informally, tenten (点々(てんてん)) meaning "two marks", to create "バ", "ビ", ""ブ", "ベ" and "ボ" changes clear sounds to voiced ones. Adding a small circle called a 半(>はん)濁(だく)点(てん) handakuten, but commonly referred to as maru (丸(まる)) meaning "circle", written "パ", "ピ", "プ", "ペ" and "ポ" changes clear sounds plosive sound.

Brush Stroke:
Sound:	ha	ba	pa
Mnemonic:			A step in French is called a pas! Just take a few steps under the moon!
Example:	ハンガリー (hanngali-) Hungary ハンバーガー (hannba-ga-) hamburger	バナナ banana	パーティー Party

Brush Stroke:
Sound:	hi	bi	pi
Mnemonic:	Heel - The heel of a shoe
Example:	ヒーター Heater	ビタミン vitamin	ピレネー Pyrenees ピザ pizza

Brush Stroke:
Sound:	fu	bu	pu
Mnemonic:	Food - It's half a bowl of food. Fruit Salad. No handles, spoons, chopsticks, noodles, or cats, just use your hands.
Example:	フランス (furansu) France ファン (fan) fan	ブドウ (budo-) grape	プレゼント (purezento) Present, Gift

Brush Stroke:
Sound:	he	be	pe
Mnemonic:	Hehe - It's the same funny (Hehe) mustache from Hiragana! Pointing towards Heaven
Example:	ヘルシー Healthy	ベルギー Belgium	ペット pet ペン pen

Brush Stroke:
Sound:	ho	bo	po
Mnemonic:	Hot - It is very hot, and you are standing with your arms outstretched at your sides and sweat is pouring from your armpits. Holy - Someone holding a span holy cross with both hands.
Example:	ホテル (hoteru) hotel	ボトル Bottle	ポルトガル Portugal ポンプ pump