Katakana "Ge" Coloring Pages

The "Ge" in "Game"

The character on this coloring page is the Katakana "Ge".
The word is "Game".
On the left side, there is one game controller drawn.
On its left side, there is a D-pad that you can press up, down, left, and right. On the right side, round buttons are lined up.
You hold the controller with both hands, press the buttons with your fingers, and move the character inside the game.
"Game" comes from English, so we write it in Katakana.

Katakana "Ge" is "Ke" with Two Little Dots

Katakana "Ge" is made by adding two little dots (dakuten) to the Katakana "Ke".
When you add the dots, the clear "Ke" sound changes into the buzzy "Ge" sound.
Put your hand on your throat and say "Ke" and "Ge" to compare. You can feel your throat vibrate when you say Katakana "Ge"!
Buzzy sounds like this are called voiced sounds.

How Katakana "Ge" Came to Be

People long ago made Katakana by taking parts of Kanji characters.
It is said that "Ke" was born from a part of the Kanji "介".
So, Katakana "Ge", which is "Ke" with two little dots, comes from the very same Kanji!
When reading ancient texts, Katakana was created with very few lines so people could write the readings small next to the words.

How to Write Katakana "Ge"

You write Katakana "Ge" in 5 strokes by adding 2 dot strokes to the 3 strokes of "Ke".
Stroke 1 is a short line sweeping down to the left from the top.
Stroke 2 is a horizontal line going right, starting from the middle of stroke 1.
Stroke 3 is a long line sweeping down to the left from near the middle of the horizontal line.
Strokes 4 and 5 are two dots written at the top right.
If you write the two dots small right above the far right side of the horizontal line, it will look nice and balanced!

Words with Katakana "Ge"

Words that start with Katakana "Ge" include game, gate, diving beetle (gengorou), and guest.
Diving beetles are water bugs that live in ponds and rice fields. Bug names are often written in Katakana, too.
Katakana "Ge" also pops up in sound words like "geragera" for loud laughing, or "gekogeko" for a frog croaking.
Try to find other sound words with Katakana "Ge"!

Make the dots stand out on the big Katakana "Ge"

Try coloring the "ケ" part of the big Katakana "Ge" on the top right in blue or purple, and the dots in a different color like yellow or orange.
If you change the color of the dots, you can easily see how "ケ" becomes Katakana "Ge" with the dots added!
If you color carefully from near the edges, it is hard to go outside the lines.

Color the controller in your favorite colors

You can color the main part of the controller in gray, black, or white, or try any color you like such as red or light blue.
If you make the directional pad a different, dark gray or black color from the main part, its shape will stand out clearly.
If you color the round buttons one by one in red, blue, green, and yellow, you will get a fun, colorful controller.
If you leave a small white spot on the edge of a button, it will look shiny and rounded!

Add shadows where you hold it

If you make the bottom part of the controller and the places where you hold it a little darker, it will look 3D.
It is also fun to draw extra stars or hearts around it to make it look like a video game world.
Try coloring it while thinking of your favorite game!

Be careful with the two sweeping strokes when tracing

There are 8 light gray Katakana "Ge" lined up in the boxes on the bottom right.
Using a pencil, trace "ケ" first, and then write the dots at the end.
The first stroke is short and the third stroke is long, and both sweep down to the left.
Using the center lines of the box as a guide helps you align the side-to-side strokes.
Write them carefully, one by one!

"Game" Means All Kinds of Play

"Game" isn't just for video games! It's a word for all kinds of play where you follow rules.
Card games, board games, and even shogi (Japanese chess) are all games, too.
Even in sports like tennis or volleyball, one part of a match is sometimes called "1 game."

Othello Was Born in Japan

Othello, the game where you flip black and white pieces, was created in Japan!
It came out in 1973, and now people play it all over the world.
There are even big worldwide tournaments for it!

The Secret of the D-pad

The D-pad (cross key) on game controllers was invented by a Japanese game company!
With just 1 thumb, you can easily press 4 different directions: up, down, left, and right.
It is so easy to use that many controllers still have it today!

Set a Time Limit for Games

Games are super fun, but if you play for too long, your eyes will get tired.
Set a time limit with your family, and rest your eyes by looking far away every now and then!