ルビ
るび
noun
ruby text; furigana; reading aid above kanji
1.
ruby text; furigana; reading annotations placed above or beside kanji
Small characters placed above (in horizontal text) or beside (in vertical text) kanji to indicate their pronunciation. Named after the typographic term 'ruby' for small-sized type.
漢字にルビを振る。
To add ruby text to kanji.
子供向けの本にはルビが付いている。
Children's books have furigana annotations.
難しい漢字にはルビを付けてもらえると、読者にとって親切だ。
Adding ruby text to difficult kanji is helpful for readers.
From the English typographic term 'ruby,' which refers to a small type size (5.5 points). In Japanese publishing and web design, ルビ refers to the small reading annotations placed alongside kanji characters.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- ルビを振る: to add ruby/furigana text
- ルビを付ける: to attach ruby text
- ルビ付き: with ruby text
- 総ルビ: full ruby (every kanji annotated)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 振り仮名 (furigana): furigana — the native Japanese term for the same concept; more commonly used in everyday language
- 読み仮名: reading kana — another term for pronunciation guides
USAGE:
ルビ is the preferred term in publishing, typography, and web development (HTML has a `<ruby>` tag). 振り仮名 is more common in educational contexts and everyday conversation. Both refer to the same thing.