How Do You Spell KATAMARI?

Pronunciation: [kˈatɐməɹˌi] (IPA)

The word "katamari" is a Japanese term that originated from a video game. It is typically spelled in Romanized form as "katamari," but the pronunciation may not be immediately evident to native English speakers. Using IPA phonetics, "katamari" is pronounced as /kætəˈmɑri/. The stress falls on the second syllable, which is pronounced as "tuh" rather than "ta." The final syllable is pronounced with an "ah" sound and not "ee." Overall, the IPA transcription more accurately represents the Japanese pronunciation of the word.

Meaning and Definition
Etymology
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KATAMARI Meaning and Definition

  1. Katamari refers to the central object or ball that is used in the popular video game series, "Katamari Damacy." It is also commonly called a "katamari ball" or simply a "katamari." The term originates from Japanese, with "kata" meaning "clump" or "lump" and "mari" meaning "ball."

    In the game, players control a character called the Prince, who is tasked with rolling a small, sticky ball called the katamari around various landscapes. The goal is to roll up as many objects as possible, starting with small items like paper clips and pebbles, and progressing to larger things like toys, trees, buildings, and even people. As the katamari collects more objects, it grows in size, allowing players to roll up even bigger items.

    The concept of the katamari exemplifies the core gameplay mechanic of the "Katamari Damacy" series, where the joy and charm lie in the addictive nature of collecting and growing the katamari. The game's imaginative and whimsical art style, coupled with its catchy soundtrack, has contributed to its cult following.

    The term "katamari" may also be used outside of the game context to describe a clump, cluster, or ball-like mass of objects in general.

Etymology of KATAMARI

The word "katamari" is derived from Japanese. "Kata" (塊) means "clump" or "mass", and "mari" (まり) is a suffix that indicates a ball-like or rounded shape. So, "katamari" can be roughly translated as "clump ball" or "mass ball". The term gained popularity through the video game series called "Katamari Damacy" created by Keita Takahashi.