There are times where you’ll come across Katakana-like characters that aren’t.. really.. Katakana. Like there wasn’t enough confusion already with Kanji readings and compounds, here’s another challenge.
Below are a few Kanji that look like Katakana, with very minute variations that you might probably not notice, and simply have to depend on the context to distinguish. Much like how the number “1”, letter “l” (lowercase el) and letter “I” (uppercase aai) at times look alike depending on the font, but it doesn’t confuse a native speaker as much for a learner.
| Katakana | Kanji | Kanji reading | Kanji meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| エ | 工 | kou | craft, work |
| カ | 力 | ryoku, riki, chikara | power, force |
| ニ | 二 | ni | two |
| ハ | 八 | hachi | eight |
| ロ | 口 | kou, kuchi | mouth |
| オ | 才 | sai | ability, talent, aptitude |
| タ | 夕 | yuu | evening |
Share your experiences with such if any.