Za Ji Zu Ze Zo

Katakana 2

Chapter 2 · Za Ji Zu Ze Zo

🌸 The Dakuten on the S Row — ザ ジ ズ ゼ ゾ

The dakuten now goes on the S row, turning s into z: ザ ジ ズ ゼ ゾ (za ji zu ze zo). As in hiragana, the second one is ji and not "zi", because the plain シ is shi. Romaji is shown for everything.

PlainWith ゛Sound beforeSound now
saza
shiji
suzu
seze
sozo
aiueo
sサシスセソ
z (s + ゛)ザジズゼゾ

All five highlighted characters are today's: the whole Z row in one chapter.

✨ Five New Characters — ザ ジ ズ ゼ ゾ

ザ
za
like "za" in pizza ("zah")
5 strokes · stroke order ▸
Memory hook: a zap of lightning: サ with two sparks. Hiragana twin: ざ.
ジ
ji
like "jee" in jeep, short ("jee")
5 strokes · stroke order ▸
Memory hook: a jeep's windscreen wipers: シ with two marks. Hiragana twin: じ.
ズ
zu
like "zoo" ("zoo")
4 strokes · stroke order ▸
Memory hook: a zoo animal's curly tail: ス with two dots. Hiragana twin: ず.
ゼ
ze
like "ze" in zest ("zeh")
4 strokes · stroke order ▸
Memory hook: a zebra's stripe: セ with two marks. Hiragana twin: ぜ.
ゾ
zo
like "zo" in zone, short ("zoh")
4 strokes · stroke order ▸
Memory hook: a zombie's twitch: ソ with two marks. Hiragana twin: ぞ.
ジ Is "Ji", Not "Zi" Just like じ in hiragana, ジ is ji, the English "j" of jeep. Katakana uses it to write the English "j" sound in loanwords, so ジム is ji-mu, "gym" (the English word gym begins with a j sound too).
Look-Alikes with the Marks ジ is シ plus two marks, so check the corner: if there are two small marks at the top right, it is ジ. ズ (zu) is ス with two marks, and is a close cousin of ヌ (nu): the marks make the difference.

📖 Read It — New Words

Read the Japanese first, then check the romaji and the English word it comes from.

#WordRomajiEnglishNote
1zerozeroze-ro: the English zero
2jimugymji-mu
3zōnzonezo-o-n
4jīnzujeansji-i-n-zu: a plural in -ズ
5saizusizesa-i-zu: clothes and shoes
6zūmuzoomzu-u-mu
7garējigaragega-re-e-ji
8zerījellyze-ri-i
9rizumurhythmri-zu-mu
10rēzālaserre-e-za-a
Real Japanese Tip — サイズ and ジーンズ サイズ is one of the most useful katakana words when you shop for clothes or shoes: in a store you'll be asked サイズは？ ("What size?"). And ジーンズ ends in ズ because English plural s after a voiced sound becomes a z, and Japanese keeps it.
When Does a Word Get ー? Compare ゼロ (zero) and ゼリー (jelly): one has a long vowel mark and one does not. You cannot always predict ー from the English word, so learn each word as you meet it.
Review: Words from Chapter 1 (game) · (guitar) · (gas) · (golf) · (goal) · (gift).

✍️ Try It Yourself — れんしゅう

Say each answer out loud first, then click to check.

1. Read aloud: · · · ·

Show answer

za · ji · zu · ze · zo

2. Read aloud and translate: · ·

Show answer

zero (zero) · jimu (gym) · zōn (zone)

3. Read aloud and translate: · ·

Show answer

jīnzu (jeans) · saizu (size) · zūmu (zoom)

4. Read aloud and translate: · ·

Show answer

garēji (garage) · zerī (jelly) · rēzā (laser)

5. How is pronounced, and which plain character does it come from?

Show answer

ji, like the English "j" of jeep; it comes from シ (shi).

6. Write in katakana: jimu · saizu · zero (check the stroke order).

Show answer

· ·

Coming Up in Chapter 3 The dakuten on the T row: ダ ヂ ヅ デ ド (da ji zu de do). Two of them are rare, but ドア (door), デート (date) and ダンス (dance) will be readable.