KY
キャキュキョ — The KY Row
01
What combined kana are
Combined kana (yōon) pair a full-size i-column kana with a small ャ, ュ, or ョ, read as a single syllable. The KY set builds on キ (ki): キ + ャ = キャ (kya), キ + ュ = キュ (kyu), キ + ョ = キョ (kyo) — one beat each, not two. This is the first of eleven combined-kana sets, all built the same way from kana you already know.
One syllable, not two: キャ is “kya,” a single beat — not “ki-ya.” The small ャ ュ ョ are written at about half height in the lower right; that size is the only thing separating them from the full-size kana.
02
Pronunciation at a glance
03
Loanwords with the KY kana
キャ and キュ open plenty of loanwords (キョ is rarer). Here are a few.
キャンプkyanpucamp, camping
キャベツkyabetsucabbage
キャラクターkyarakutācharacter
キューバkyūbaCuba
バーベキューbābekyūbarbecue
キョロキョロkyorokyorolooking around (onomatopoeia)
04
What's next
Next is the SH set (シャ シュ ショ) — built on シ, and read “sha, shu, sho.” The same small-kana rule carries through every combined-kana set.