romaji

Romaji, short for romanization of Japanese, is the representation of Japanese sounds using the Latin alphabet. It is not a native script for Japanese readers, but serves as a practical aid for learners, linguists, software, and international communication. Romaji is used in dictionaries, textbooks, passports, road signs, and computer input when kana or kanji are impractical.

Several romanization schemes exist. The Hepburn system is the most familiar in English-language contexts; it renders し as shi, ち as chi, つ as tsu, and ふ as fu, and it often marks vowel length with a macron (ō, ā) or with digraphs such as ou for long o. Kunrei-shiki and Nihon-shiki are more graphically faithful to kana: し maps to si, ち to ti, つ to tu, ふ to hu. These latter systems are favored in linguistic work and some government use, and they influence computer input methods. Hybrid spellings combine elements of multiple systems.

Historically, romaji emerged in the 19th century with Western contact with Japan. James Curtis Hepburn popularized a version that became standard in the English-speaking world. In Japan, official romanization has included Kunrei-shiki, and international standards such as ISO 3602 provide guidelines for romanizing Japanese in technical contexts. Modern software and mobile keyboards commonly support multiple systems and auto-conversion.

Limitations include ambiguity in representing pronunciation; long vowels and pitch accent are not uniquely conveyed, and diacritic marks or digraphs are sometimes omitted. The particle は is written ha in many contexts but pronounced wa, illustrating the divergence between spelling and pronunciation. Users should select a system appropriate to context and be aware of cross-system inconsistencies.