Katakana wa, wo and n: ワ ヲ ン

The idea

ワ is wa and ン is the nasal mora n, a beat of its own in words such as ワイン. ヲ corresponds to hiragana を and is normally pronounced o as the object particle. It is rarely used in ordinary modern katakana text: the particle is generally written を.

Examples

• ワインを飲のみます。I drink wine.
• 父ちちはワイシャツを着きます。My father wears a dress shirt.
• パンを買かいます。I buy bread.
• そのペンは青あおいです。That pen is blue.
• オレンジを買かいます。I buy an orange.
• ペンを一本いっぽん買かいます。I buy one pen.

Watch out

ン is not ソ: look at the direction of the long stroke. Do not replace the usual particle を with ヲ in ordinary mixed-script writing.

Try it yourself

1. Fill the blank with one kana or mark: ＿イン (wain).

   Show answer or example answer

   ワ

   Compare the written parts and reading: ワ = wa；ワイン = wain.

2. Fill the blank with one kana or mark: ペ＿ (pen).

   Show answer or example answer

   ン

   Compare the written parts and reading: ペ + ン = pen.

3. Write the katakana equivalent of the particle を.

   Show answer or example answer

   ヲ

   Compare the written parts and reading: を → ヲ；o.

Use it today

Cover the chart, read two examples aloud and write one target word from memory. Compare its spelling and timing with the original.