Za Ji Zu Ze Zo
Katakana 2
Chapter 2 · Za Ji Zu Ze Zo
🌸 The Dakuten on the S Row — ザ ジ ズ ゼ ゾ
The dakuten now goes on the S row, turning s into z: ザ ジ ズ ゼ ゾ (za ji zu ze zo). As in hiragana, the second one is ji and not "zi", because the plain シ is shi. Romaji is shown for everything.
| Plain | With ゛ | Sound before | Sound now |
|---|---|---|---|
| サ | ザ | sa | za |
| シ | ジ | shi | ji |
| ス | ズ | su | zu |
| セ | ゼ | se | ze |
| ソ | ゾ | so | zo |
| a | i | u | e | o | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| s | サ | シ | ス | セ | ソ |
| z (s + ゛) | ザ | ジ | ズ | ゼ | ゾ |
All five highlighted characters are today's: the whole Z row in one chapter.
✨ Five New Characters — ザ ジ ズ ゼ ゾ
📖 Read It — New Words
Read the Japanese first, then check the romaji and the English word it comes from.
| # | Word | Romaji | English | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ゼロ | zero | zero | ze-ro: the English zero |
| 2 | ジム | jimu | gym | ji-mu |
| 3 | ゾーン | zōn | zone | zo-o-n |
| 4 | ジーンズ | jīnzu | jeans | ji-i-n-zu: a plural in -ズ |
| 5 | サイズ | saizu | size | sa-i-zu: clothes and shoes |
| 6 | ズーム | zūmu | zoom | zu-u-mu |
| 7 | ガレージ | garēji | garage | ga-re-e-ji |
| 8 | ゼリー | zerī | jelly | ze-ri-i |
| 9 | リズム | rizumu | rhythm | ri-zu-mu |
| 10 | レーザー | rēzā | laser | re-e-za-a |
✍️ Try It Yourself — れんしゅう
Say each answer out loud first, then click to check.
1. Read aloud: ザ · ジ · ズ · ゼ · ゾ
Show answer
za · ji · zu · ze · zo
2. Read aloud and translate: ゼロ · ジム · ゾーン
Show answer
zero (zero) · jimu (gym) · zōn (zone)
3. Read aloud and translate: ジーンズ · サイズ · ズーム
Show answer
jīnzu (jeans) · saizu (size) · zūmu (zoom)
4. Read aloud and translate: ガレージ · ゼリー · レーザー
Show answer
garēji (garage) · zerī (jelly) · rēzā (laser)
5. How is ジ pronounced, and which plain character does it come from?
Show answer
ji, like the English "j" of jeep; it comes from シ (shi).
6. Write in katakana: jimu · saizu · zero (check the stroke order).
Show answer
ジム · サイズ · ゼロ