How Do You Spell FURIGANA?

Pronunciation: [fjˌʊ͡əɹɪɡˈɑːnə] (IPA)

Furigana is a word used in Japanese to describe small, written characters that are placed next to a kanji to assist in its pronunciation. The word itself is spelled with four syllables: /fʊrɪgɑːnə/. The first syllable is pronounced like "fur" with a short "i" sound. The second syllable is pronounced with a short "i" sound, followed by a soft "g" sound. The third syllable is pronounced like the first syllable, and the final syllable is pronounced with a silent "e" sound. Overall, the phonetic transcription of furigana shows its unique pronunciation and spelling in Japanese language.

FURIGANA Meaning and Definition

1. Furigana is a term predominantly used in the Japanese language to refer to a phonetic notation system that is applied to written texts, providing pronunciation assistance to readers. It consists of small characters or symbols, usually kana (Hiragana or Katakana), positioned above, below, or alongside kanji characters. The purpose of furigana is to aid readers, particularly those who may have difficulty reading or understanding complex kanji characters or are unfamiliar with the particular reading of a specific kanji in a given word.

   Furigana serves as a guide for pronunciation and helps users to correctly vocalize the words they encounter while reading. It is especially essential in texts targeting children, Japanese language learners, or those involving specialized terminology. Furigana also assists in understanding homonyms, where multiple kanji may represent the same sound, eliminating ambiguity for the reader.

   Furigana implementation can vary depending on the context and preference, with some texts having furigana applied to every kanji, while others may limit it to only rare or difficult characters. It enables readers to effortlessly identify the reading of kanji characters, thus aiding comprehension and fluency.

   Overall, furigana is a valuable tool that enhances accessibility and readability of texts in the Japanese language, allowing a wider range of individuals to engage with literature, documents, and other written materials effectively.

Common Misspellings for FURIGANA

• frigina
• durigana
• curigana
• vurigana
• gurigana
• turigana
• rurigana
• fyrigana
• fhrigana
• fjrigana
• firigana
• f8rigana
• f7rigana
• fueigana
• fudigana
• fufigana
• futigana
• fu5igana
• fu4igana
• furugana

Etymology of FURIGANA

The word "furigana" is derived from the combination of two Japanese words: "furi" (振り) and "kana" (仮名).

"Furi" comes from the verb "furu" (振る), which means "to shake" or "to wave". In the context of "furigana", it refers to the small kana characters that are written above or beside kanji characters on printed material, providing their phonetic pronunciation.

"Kana" refers to the two phonetic scripts used in Japanese writing: hiragana and katakana. The hiragana and katakana characters represent syllables and are combined with kanji characters to form words and sentences.

Combining "furi" with "kana", the term "furigana" was coined to describe the small kana characters used to assist in reading kanji.