Are you ready to dive deeper into the world of Japanese hiragana? Today, we’re going to talk about some funny little marks that can make a big difference in your pronunciation. These marks are called はちょう (hachou), まる (maru), and すじ (suji), and they can modify the sound of certain hiragana and katakana characters. Let’s take a closer look!
はちょう (Hachou) The はちょう (hachou) mark looks like a little dash added to the upper-right corner of a hiragana or katakana character. This mark is used to modify the pronunciation of the character to create a longer sound. For example, the character あ (a) becomes あー (aa) when the はちょう mark is added. This mark reminds me of a little bird stretching its wings, ready to take flight.
まる (Maru) The まる (maru) mark looks like a tiny circle added to the upper-right corner of a hiragana or katakana character. This mark is used to modify the pronunciation of the character to create a more nasal sound. For example, the character は (ha) becomes はん (han) when the まる mark is added. This mark reminds me of a little round nose, like the one on a cute cartoon character.
すじ (Suji) The すじ (suji) mark looks like a little line added to the lower-right corner of a hiragana or katakana character. This mark is used to modify the pronunciation of the character to create a sharper or more emphatic sound. For example, the character つ (tsu) becomes っ (tsu) when the すじ mark is added. This mark reminds me of a little lightning bolt, ready to strike.
These marks may seem small and insignificant, but they can really impact the way you sound when speaking Japanese. It’s important to pay attention to them and practice using them correctly. Plus, coming up with fun little ways to remember them can make your language learning journey a lot more enjoyable. So, the next time you see a hiragana character with a little bird wing, a cute little nose, or a tiny lightning bolt, you’ll know just what to do!