Japanese

Hiragana is one of Japan's three writing systems, alongside Katakana and Kanji. It has its roots in the ancient Japanese script known as Manyogana which used Chinese characters to represent native Japanese words. As the need for a more phonetic writing system arose, Hiragana emerged around the 8th century as a simplified form of Kanji characters.

Katakana is one of Japan's three writing systems, alongside Hiragana and Kanji. It originated during the 9th century as a simplified form of Kanji characters used to transcribe foreign words and names into Japanese. Over time, Katakana evolved into a distinct phonetic alphabet, specifically designed for representing non-Japanese words and onomatopoeic sounds. Its angular and boxy appearance sets it apart from the curvaceous Hiragana characters.