1.
Roman letters, romaji, the Latin alphabet
The Latin alphabet (A-Z) used to write Japanese phonetically. Also refers to the romanization system itself.
名前をローマ字で書く。
Write your name in Roman letters.
パスポートにはローマ字で氏名が記載される。
Names are written in Roman letters on passports.
ローマ字入力とかな入力のどちらを使っていますか。
Do you use romaji input or kana input?
ローマ字 literally means "Roman characters" and refers to the Latin alphabet as used to represent Japanese.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- ローマ字で書く: to write in romaji
- ローマ字入力: romaji input (typing method)
- ローマ字表記: romaji notation
ROMANIZATION SYSTEMS:
There are several romanization systems, including 訓令式 (Kunrei-shiki, taught in Japanese schools) and ヘボン式 (Hepburn, used on passports and signs). Hepburn is the most widely recognized internationally.
NOTE:
Most Japanese people type using ローマ字入力, where they type romanized letters that are automatically converted to kana.