Distinguishing certain characters in handwriting and print (Similar-looking Kana and Kanji)


Japanese has some sets of characters which look very similar or even
identical. Obviously, context is usually more than enough to distinguish which
character is intended, but I'm wondering if there are subtle differences which
can be used to disambiguate. It's easy enough to compare characters in
computer fonts, so my question is really more about handwriting.

  * ー (katakana), 一 (kanji) and — (em dash)

The first two can be distinguished from the last one in Minchō-type fonts, and
usually it is possible to distinguish between all three. In vertical writing
the katakana _bō_ and the em dash are oriented vertically so is easily
distinguished from the kanji _ichi_.

What about in handwriting or Gothic-type fonts? I suspect they are
indistinguishable then, but counterexamples are welcome.

  * ロ (katakana) and 口 (kanji)

In print, katakana _ro_ is usually printed a little bit smaller than kanji
_kuchi_. In some of the fonts I have the final stroke of katakana _ro_
protrudes to the right, while the penultimate stroke of kanji _kuchi_
protrudes downwards.

  * カ (katakana) and 力 (kanji)

Like the above, katakana _ka_ is usually printed a little bit smaller than
kanji _chikara_ ; but I've also noticed that the little hook is subtly
different for katakana _ka_ , and that in some fonts katakana _ka_ has a bit
of a rightward slant or curvature.

  * ニ (katakana) and 二 (kanji)

  * エ (katakana) and 工 (kanji)
  * タ (katakana) and 夕 (kanji)
  * ト (katakana) and 卜 (kanji)

Other than size, it seems like the only way to distinguish these pairs in
Minchō-type fonts is to rely on the tendency for katakana to have more brush-
like strokes than the kanji.

  * ハ (katakana) and 八 (kanji)

These are usually easy to distinguish in print, even in brush-type fonts,
since the last stroke of katakana _ha_ is of a different type from the last
stroke of kanji _hachi_. What about in handwriting?

  * え (hiragana) and 之 (kanji)

These are easily distinguished in print and good handwriting, but I have
trouble making them distinct in _my_ handwriting.

  * へ (hiragana) and ヘ (katakana)

_Is_ there any difference between these two? They are identical in Hiragino
Mincho, for instance...




I noticed that most of the pairs in your list are between kana (mostly
katakana) and kanji, with the only exception of へ. In my opinion, in most
situations you can infer whether it's the kana or kanji symbol from the
surrounding text. I think katakana symbols rarely sits alone on its own
because we would find them in a bunch of at least 2 characters in a sequence.
So if we find 私の力 and 入り口 then we would know that they are the kanji ちから and
くち because otherwise the katakana would be alone by themselves. On the other
hand, if we find バカ and クロ then we would know they are the katakana 'ka' and
'ro' for the same reason that the katakana バ and ク cannot be alone by
themselves. This is, however, just a theory of mine so I don't have anything
to back them up.

