Romaji
Definition
Romaji is the romanized representation of the Japanese writing system using Latin alphabet letters. It allows non-Japanese speakers to read and pronounce Japanese words without learning hiragana, katakana, or kanji.
Analogy
Romaji is like subtitles for a foreign movie. It provides an alternative way for people who don't understand the original language (Japanese characters) to follow along with the dialogue (Japanese words).
Related terms
Hepburn Romanization: The most widely used system for romanizing Japanese, developed by James Curtis Hepburn.
Kunrei-shiki Romanization: An alternative system for romanizing Japanese, based on the pronunciation of kana characters.
Wāpuro Rōmaji: A style of typing or inputting Japanese using a standard QWERTY keyboard.
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