ズィ

See also: スィ

Japanese

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [d͡zʲi], [zʲi]

Syllable

ズィ • (zi) 

1. The katakana syllable ズィ (zi). Its equivalent in hiragana is ずぃ (zi).

Noun

ズィ • (zi) 

1. Alternative form of ズィー (zī, “zee”) (name of the letter Z, z)

   Ｖ(ヴィ)ＷＸＹ(トゥ)Ｚ(ズィ)－ドラゴン・カタパルトキャノン ― Vi-tu-Zi－Doragon Kataparuto-kyanon ― V-to-Z-Dragon Catapult Cannon

   Ａ(エー)to(トゥ)Ｚ(ズィ)－ドラゴン・バスターキャノン ― Ē-tu-Zi－Doragon Basutā-kyanon ― A-to-Z-Dragon Buster Cannon

Usage notes

• The katakana syllabary is used primarily for transcription of foreign language words into Japanese and the writing of gairaigo (loan words), as well as to represent onomatopoeias, technical and scientific terms, and the names of plants, animals, and minerals. It is also occasionally used in some words for emphasis, or to ease reading; katakana may be preferred for words becoming buried in the text if they are written under their canonical form in hiragana. Names of Japanese companies, as well as certain Japanese language words such as colloquial terms, are also sometimes written in katakana rather than the other systems. Formerly, female given names were often written in katakana. ^[edit]
• This is a relatively recent addition to kana usage to represent the non-native sound zi. As such, this is only found in borrowed words. Many speakers, especially older people, may pronounce this more as ji, [d͡ʑi]or [ʑi].