Symbols

This page gives a description of the names and usage of some Japanese typographic symbols which are not considered either kana or kanji.

The links in the Unicode column lead to the Unihan database.

Repetition marks

| kumakurikaeshi (繰り返し) dō no jiten (同の字点) Kanji repetition mark. kurikaeshi (くりかえし) kurikaeshi (くりかえし) kurikaeshi (くりかえし) kurikaeshinonoten (ノノ点) 〵}} 〵}}
Symbol JIS code Unicode name or names Usage
々 2139 3005 noma (ノマ) Kanji repetition mark.
仝 2138 4EDD dō no jiten (同の字点)
ヽ 2152 30FD katakanagaeshi (かたかながえし) Katakana iteration mark.
ヾ 2153 30FE katakanagaeshi (かたかながえし) Katakana iteration mark with a dakuten.
ゝ 2154 309D hiraganagaeshi (ひらがながえし) Hiragana iteration mark. For example はは (haha) could be written はゝ.
ゞ 2136 309E hiraganagaeshi (ひらがながえし) Hiragana iteration mark. For example はば (haba) could be written はゞ.
〃 2137 3003 Ditto mark. It is called nonoten because it looks like two katakana nos)
〱 NONE 3031 Kana vertical repetition mark.
〲 NONE 3032 Kana vertical repetition mark with dakuten.
{{bs|〳 NONE 3033 (top), 3035 (bottom) kunojiten (くの字点) Repetition mark used in vertical writing. It means repeat the previous two or more kana.
{{bs|〴 NONE 3034 (top), 3035 (bottom) kunojiten (くの字点) This is the kunojiten mark with dakuten.

Symbol	JIS code	Unicode	name or names	Usage
々	2139	3005	noma (ノマ)	Kanji repetition mark.
仝	2138	4EDD	dō no jiten (同の字点)
ヽ	2152	30FD	katakanagaeshi (かたかながえし)	Katakana iteration mark.
ヾ	2153	30FE	katakanagaeshi (かたかながえし)	Katakana iteration mark with a dakuten.
ゝ	2154	309D	hiraganagaeshi (ひらがながえし)	Hiragana iteration mark. For example はは (haha) could be written はゝ.
ゞ	2136	309E	hiraganagaeshi (ひらがながえし)	Hiragana iteration mark. For example はば (haba) could be written はゞ.
〃	2137	3003		Ditto mark. It is called nonoten because it looks like two katakana nos)
〱	NONE	3031		Kana vertical repetition mark.
〲	NONE	3032		Kana vertical repetition mark with dakuten.
{{bs\|〳	NONE	3033 (top), 3035 (bottom)	kunojiten (くの字点)	Repetition mark used in vertical writing. It means repeat the previous two or more kana.
{{bs\|〴	NONE	3034 (top), 3035 (bottom)	kunojiten (くの字点)	This is the kunojiten mark with dakuten.

Brackets and quotation marks (kakko (括弧)

| 300Dkagikakko (鉤括弧) 300Fnijūkagikakko (二重鉤括弧) kakko (括弧) marugakko (丸括弧) shōkakko (しょう括弧) 3015namikakko (波括弧) nakakakko (中括弧) 3009yamakakko (山括弧) gyume (ギュメ) yamagata (山がた) 300Bnijūyamakakko (二重山括弧) nijūgyume (二重ギュメ) nijūyamagata (二重山がた) 3017 3019 301B
Symbol JIS code Unicode name or names Usage
「」 2156, 2157 300C kagi (鉤) These are the usual Japanese quotation marks.
『』 2158, 2159 300E kagi (鉤) Japanese version of double quotes.
（） 2169, 216A pāren (パーレン) The word pāren is said to be an abbreviation of the German word for parentheses, although modern German uses the word "Klammer" for this symbol.
〔〕 216C, 216E 3014 kikkō (亀甲) Used to insert comments into quoted text.
［］ 216D, 216E kakko
kagikakko (かぎかっこ)
｛｝ 216F, 2170 burēsu (ブレース)
〈〉 2171, 2172 3008 kakko The name gyume is a Japanese version of "guillemets".
《》 2173, 2174 300A kakko
【】 2179, 217A 3010, 3011 kakko
sumitsukikakko (すみつきかっこ ) Used in headings, for example in dictionary definitions.
〖〗 None 3016
〘〙 None 3018
〚〛 None 301A

Symbol	JIS code	Unicode	name or names	Usage
「」	2156, 2157	300C	kagi (鉤)	These are the usual Japanese quotation marks.
『』	2158, 2159	300E	kagi (鉤)	Japanese version of double quotes.
（）	2169, 216A		pāren (パーレン)	The word pāren is said to be an abbreviation of the German word for parentheses, although modern German uses the word "Klammer" for this symbol.
〔〕	216C, 216E	3014	kikkō (亀甲)	Used to insert comments into quoted text.
［］	216D, 216E		kakko kagikakko (かぎかっこ)
｛｝	216F, 2170		burēsu (ブレース)
〈〉	2171, 2172	3008	kakko	The name gyume is a Japanese version of "guillemets".
《》	2173, 2174	300A	kakko
【】	2179, 217A	3010, 3011	kakko sumitsukikakko (すみつきかっこ )	Used in headings, for example in dictionary definitions.
〖〗	None	3016
〘〙	None	3018
〚〛	None	301A

Phonetic marks (hatsuonkigō (発音記号)

| bōsen (棒線)
nigori (濁り)
tentenhandaku (半濁)
Symbol JIS code Unicode name or names Usage
っ 2443 3063 sokuon (促音) See page.
ー 213C 30FC chōon (長音) Indicates a lengthened vowel sound. Often used with katakana. The direction of writing depends on the direction of text. See yokogaki and tategaki.
゛ 212B 309B dakuten (濁点) Used with hiragana or katakana to indicate a "voiced" sound. For example, this mark changes ta to da and shi to ji.
゜ 212C 309C handakuten (半濁点) Used with hiragana or katakana to indicate a change from a hahihuheho sound to a papipupepo sound.

Symbol	JIS code	Unicode	name or names	Usage
っ	2443	3063	sokuon (促音)	See page.
ー	213C	30FC	chōon (長音)	Indicates a lengthened vowel sound. Often used with katakana. The direction of writing depends on the direction of text. See yokogaki and tategaki.
゛	212B	309B	dakuten (濁点)	Used with hiragana or katakana to indicate a "voiced" sound. For example, this mark changes ta to da and shi to ji.
゜	212C	309C	handakuten (半濁点)	Used with hiragana or katakana to indicate a change from a hahihuheho sound to a papipupepo sound.

Punctuation marks (kutōten 句読点)

| potsu (ぽつ) nakaten (中点)
Symbol JIS code Unicode name or names Usage
。 2123 3002 kuten (句点)
maru (丸) Marks the end of a sentence.
、 2122 3001 tōten (読点) Japanese equivalent of a comma.
・ 2126 30FB nakaguro (中黒) Used to separate items in lists and show the beginning and end of foreign words.

Symbol	JIS code	Unicode	name or names	Usage
。	2123	3002	kuten (句点) maru (丸)	Marks the end of a sentence.
、	2122	3001	tōten (読点)	Japanese equivalent of a comma.
・	2126	30FB	nakaguro (中黒)	Used to separate items in lists and show the beginning and end of foreign words.

Other special marks

| shimekiri (deadline) etc. naishi (ないし)
nami (波)
kara (から)
wakiten (脇点)
komejirushi (米印)
asuterisuku (アステリスク)
Symbol JIS code Unicode name or names Usage
〆 213A 3006 shime (しめ) This character is used to write shime in
～ 2141 FF5E nyoro (にょろ)
Used in "to from" constructions in Japanese, such as 月～金曜日 "from Monday to Friday".
... NONE 2026 tensen (点線) A line of dots.
ヶ A simplified version of the kanji 箇. See small ke.
NONE NONE bōten (傍点) Adding these dots to the sides of characters emphasizes the character in question. It is the Japanese equivalent of the use of italics for emphasis in English.
※ 21A6 203B kome (米) This symbol is used in notes (chū, 注). See also jeKai's page about komejirushi.
＊ 2196 hoshijirushi (星印) This symbol is used in notes (chū, 注). See also jeKai's page about komejirushi.
">
303D ioriten (庵点)
This mark is used to show the start of a singer's part of a song. For more details, see [http://www.jekai.org/entries/aa/00/np/aa00np28.htm page on the ioriten.
〓 222E 3013 geta kigō (ゲタ記号) The name is from geta, a type of Japanese shoe. It is used when a character cannot be displayed on a computer.

Organization-specific symbols

|
nihon kōgyō kikaku (日本工業規格)
Symbol JIS code Unicode name or names Usage
〒 2229 3012 yūbin (郵便) Used to indicate post offices on maps, and printed before postcodes. See also address system.
〶 3036 Variant postal mark in a circle.
〠 3020 Variant postal mark with a face.
〄 None 3004 jisumāku (ジスマーク) This mark on a product shows that it complies with a Japanese Industrial Standard.

See also

map symbols

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Category:Symbols Category:Punctuation