1.
emphasis dots; side dots placed beside characters in Japanese text to mark stress or importance
Small dots placed alongside individual characters in Japanese writing to draw attention to them, functioning similarly to italics or bold in English. In vertical text they appear to the right of the character; in horizontal text they appear above.
重要な語に傍点を打つ。
To place emphasis dots on important words.
小説では傍点がよく使われる。
Emphasis dots are commonly used in novels.
著者は傍点を付けることで、読者の注意をその言葉に向けようとしている。
By adding emphasis dots, the author is trying to draw the reader's attention to that word.
Composed of 傍 (beside) + 点 (dot). A typographical term essential for reading Japanese literature. In vertical writing, dots appear to the right of each character; in horizontal writing, they appear above. The most common dot shape is a filled circle (●), but sesame dots (﹅) and other shapes are also used.
Unlike bold or italics in English, 傍点 are placed on individual characters rather than changing the font style. They are especially common in novels, manga, and editorial writing to convey tone, irony, or emphasis that would be expressed through stress in spoken Japanese.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 傍点を打つ: to place emphasis dots
- 傍点を付ける: to add emphasis dots
- 傍点付き: with emphasis dots
SIMILAR WORDS:
- ルビ: ruby text; furigana — small characters placed beside kanji to indicate reading, not emphasis
- 圏点: emphasis marks — a synonym, slightly more formal
- 強調: emphasis — the general concept, not specific to dots