Editing Kana (section)

=== Digraphs ===
Syllables beginning with [[palatalization (phonetics)|palatalized]] consonants are spelled with one of the seven [[consonant]]al kana from the ''i'' row followed by small ''ya'', ''yu'' or ''yo''. These [[digraph (orthography)|digraphs]] are called [[yōon]].

{| class="wikitable"
|+Yōon digraphs, [[hiragana]]
!
!''k''
!''s''
!''t''
!''n''
!''h''
!''m''
!''r''
!''w''
|- style="font-size:2em"
!style="font-size:0.5em"|''ya''
|[[きゃ]]
|[[しゃ]]
|[[ちゃ]]
|[[にゃ]]
|[[ひゃ]]
|[[みゃ]]
|[[りゃ]]
|[[ゐ|ゐゃ]]
|- style="font-size:2em"
!style="font-size:0.5em"|''yu''
|[[きゅ]]
|[[しゅ]]
|[[ちゅ]]
|[[にゅ]]
|[[ひゅ]]
|[[みゅ]]
|[[りゅ]]
|[[ゐ|ゐゅ]]
|- style="font-size:2em"
!style="font-size:0.5em"|''yo''
|[[きょ]]
|[[しょ]]
|[[ちょ]]
|[[にょ]]
|[[ひょ]]
|[[みょ]]
|[[りょ]]
|[[ゐ|ゐょ]]
|}
* There are no digraphs for the [[semivowel]] ''y'' and ''w'' columns.
* The digraphs are usually transcribed with three letters, leaving out the ''i'': C''y''V. For example, きゃ is transcribed as ''kya'' to distinguish it from the two-kana きや, ''kiya''.
* ''si''+''y''* and ''ti''+''y''* are often transcribed ''sh*'' and ''ch*'' instead of ''sy*'' and ''ty*''. For example, しゃ is transcribed as ''sha'', and ちゅ is transcribed as ''chu''.
* In earlier Japanese, digraphs could also be formed with ''w''-kana. Although obsolete in modern Japanese, the digraphs くゎ (/kʷa/) and くゐ/くうぃ(/kʷi/), are preserved in certain Okinawan orthographies. In addition, the kana え can be used in Okinawan to form the digraph くぇ, which represents the /kʷe/ sound.
* In loanwords, digraphs with a small ''e''-kana [[Katakana#Extended katakana|can be formed]]. For example, キェ (or きぇ in hiragana), which is transcribed as ''kye''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Haruo) |first=海津知緒(KAIZU |title=■米国規格(ANSI Z39.11-1972)—要約 |url=http://www.ab.cyberhome.ne.jp/~kaizu/roomazi/doc/ansiz3911.html |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=ローマ字相談室 |language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Haruo) |first=海津知緒(KAIZU |title=■英国規格(BS 4812 : 1972)—要約 |url=http://www.ab.cyberhome.ne.jp/~kaizu/roomazi/doc/bs4812.html |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=ローマ字相談室 |language=ja}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+Yōon digraphs, hiragana
!
!''g''<!--k-->
!''z''<!--s-->
!''d''<!--t-->
!''b''
!''p''<!--h-->
!''ng''
!''nz''
!''nd''
!''l''
|- style="font-size:2em"
!style="font-size:0.5em"|''ya''
|[[ぎゃ]]
|[[じゃ]]
|[[ぢゃ]]
|[[びゃ]]
|[[ぴゃ]]
|[[き゚ゃ]]
|[[し|し゚ゃ]]
|[[ち|ち゚ゃ]]
|[[り|り゚ゃ]]
|- style="font-size:2em"
!style="font-size:0.5em"|''yu''
|[[ぎゅ]]
|[[じゅ]]
|[[ぢゅ]]
|[[びゅ]]
|[[ぴゅ]]
|[[き゚ゅ]]
|[[し|し゚ゅ]]
|[[ち|ち゚ゅ]]
|[[り|り゚ゅ]]
|- style="font-size:2em"
!style="font-size:0.5em"|''yo''
|[[ぎょ]]
|[[じょ]]
|[[ぢょ]]
|[[びょ]]
|[[ぴょ]]
|[[き゚ょ]]
|[[し|し゚ょ]]
|[[ち|ち゚ょ]]
|[[り|り゚ょ]]
|}
* Note that the き゚ゃ, き゚ゅ and remaining entries in the rightmost column, though they exist, [[Dakuten and handakuten#Phonetic shifts|are not used in standard Japanese orthography]].
* ''zi''+''y''* and ''di''+''y''* are often transcribed ''j*'' instead of ''zy*'' and ''dy*'', according to contemporary pronunciation. The form [[Wāpuro rōmaji#Spelling conventions|''jy*'']] is also used in some cases.