noun
- Either of two Japanese syllabic writing systems (hiragana or katakana) used to represent the sounds of the Japanese language.
Usage: Usually used in the singular to refer to the writing systems collectively, or in the plural when distinguishing between hiragana and katakana.
Examples
- Japanese children learn kana before they learn kanji.
- Hiragana and katakana are the two types of kana.
- The word is written in kana using simple phonetic symbols.
- Foreign learners often start by studying kana to understand Japanese pronunciation.
- Katakana kana is typically used for foreign loanwords.