See also:

U+3041, ぁ
HIRAGANA LETTER SMALL A
[unassigned: U+3040]

[U+303F]
Hiragana
[U+3042]

Japanese

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Etymology 1

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Small form of the hiragana character (a).

Combining form

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  1. Small combining form of hiragana (a).
    - the sound [ɸa] rather than [ɸu] () or [ha] ()
    ふぁん - transliteration of English fan
Usage notes
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  • Small combining kana , , , and are used in the following ways.
    1. After a kana of the same vowel, representing a nonstandard pronunciation (where it would otherwise be silent) or lengthening of the vowel.
      はぁ () - (sound of breathing)
      うぉぉぉぉぉぉぉ (wooooooo) - (cry of excitement)
      ですぅ (desu) - (です without a silent u)
    2. After (fu), (vu), (shi), (ji), (chi), (tsu), replacing the preceding vowel.
      じぇ (je)
      つぁ (tsa)
      Three special combinations, すぃ (si), てぃ (ti), とぅ (tu), and their voiced versions are also used in this way.
    3. After other kana ending in -i or -u, changing the preceding vowel to a semivowel.
      いぇ (ye)
      くぃ (kwi)
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  • (katakana small a)
  • (full-size a)
See also
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Etymology 2

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Alternative forms

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Particle

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or (-a

  1. Contraction of (wa).
    • 「はて、()つと()へば不動(ゐすわり)ぢゃがや。不動(ゐすわり)(たち)(わう)(じゃう)ぢゃ。()(むか)うて()かけんけりゃ(けん)(くわ)ならぬわい。」
      "Hate, tatsu to ieba isuwari ja ga ya. Isuwari wa tachiōjō ja. Demukōteyukakenkerya kenka nya naranu wai."
      "To move is to stir, and to be valiant is to stand. Therefore, if thou art moved, thou runn'st away."
      「はて、飼犬(いぬ)()たゞけでも(むか)うてゆくわい。モンタギューの(やつ)()()りゃ、(をとこ)でも(をんな)でも(かま)うたことない。」
      "Hate, inu wo mita dake de mo mukōteyuku wai. Montagyū no yatsura to mirya, otoko de mo onna de mo kamōta kotwa nai."
      "A dog of that house shall move me to stand. I will take the wall of any man or maid of Montague's."