Typesetting Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana 04: “Leaving Space Between Words is Not Done”

“Leaving space between words” used in English and other languages is not done in Japanese. “Leaving space between words” serves the function of separating words and phrases with word spaces (blanks). Functioning similar to this role in Japanese is “written in kanji and kana.” As kanji, hiragana, and katakana have different notational roles, using these three character types for different purposes can separate words and phrases. (1) to (4) in the illustration indicate texts with the same pronunciation and meaning. Of these, (4) “written in kanji and kana” is the most common notation that makes it easiest to judge the meaning of a word and separation.

(T.I)