ァ

See also: ア

ァ U+30A1, ァ KATAKANA LETTER SMALL A ← ゠ [U+30A0] Katakana ア → [U+30A2]

ｧ U+FF67, ｧ HALFWIDTH KATAKANA LETTER SMALL A ← ｦ [U+FF66] Halfwidth and Fullwidth Forms ｨ → [U+FF68]

Japanese

Etymology 1

Small form of the katakana character ア (a).

Combining form

ァ

1. Small combining form of katakana ア (a) used to explicitly specify the vowel part of the previous katakana character, or to show a speaker's pronunciation or extension of that vowel.

   ファ - the sound [ɸa] rather than [ɸu] (フ) or [ha] (ハ)

   ファン - transliteration of English fan

Usage notes

Unlike the hiragana system, used for Japanese language words that kanji does not cover, the katakana syllabary is used primarily for transcription of foreign language words into Japanese and the writing of loan words (collectively gairaigo), as well as to represent onomatopoeias, technical and scientific terms, and the names of plants, animals, and minerals. It is also occasionally used colloquially in some words for emphasis. Names of Japanese companies, as well as certain Japanese language words, are also sometimes written in katakana rather than the other systems. Formerly, female given names were written in katakana. ^[edit]

Related terms

• ぁ (hiragana small a)
• ア (full-size a)

See also

• (Katakana) 片仮名; アァ, イィ, ウゥヴ, エェ, オォ, カヵガ, キギ, クグ, ケヶゲ, コゴ, サザ, シジ, スズ, セゼ, ソゾ, タダ, チヂ, ツッヅ, テデ, トド, ナ, ニ, ヌ, ネ, ノ, ハバパ, ヒビピ, フブプ, ヘベペ, ホボポ, マ, ミ, ム, メ, モ, ヤャ, ユュ, ヨョ, ラ, リ, ル, レ, ロ, ワヮ, ヰ, ヱ, ヲ, ン, ー, ヽ, ヾ

Etymology 2

Alternative forms

• ゃ

Particle

ァ

1. Slurred form of は (wa).
   • William Shakespeare (translator 坪内逍遙), 『ロミオとヂュリエット』

     「はて、立 (た)つと言 (い)へば不動 (ゐすわり)ぢゃがや。不動 (ゐすわり)は立 (たち)往 (わう)生 (じゃう)ぢゃ。出 (で)向 (むか)うて往 (ゆ)かけんけりゃ鬪 (けん)爭 (くわ)にァならぬわい。」
     「はて、飼 (い)犬 (ぬ)を見 (み)たゞけでも向 (むか)うてゆくわい。モンタギューの奴 (やつ)等 (ら)と見 (み)りゃ、男 (をとこ)でも女 (をんな)でも關 (かま)うたことァない。」

     "Hate, tatsu to ieba isuwari ja ga ya. Isuwari wa tachiōjō ja. Demukōteyukakenkerya kenka nya naranu wai."
     "Hate, inu wo mita dake de mo mukōteyuku wai. Montagyū no yatsura to mirya, otoko de mo onna de mo kamauta kotwa nai."

     "To move is to stir, and to be valiant is to stand. Therefore, if thou art moved, thou runn'st away."
     "A dog of that house shall move me to stand. I will take the wall of any man or maid of Montague's."