What Does 全角 Mean?

Full-width and half-width examples

Common instructions that use 全角

• 全角で入力してください: enter using full-width characters
• 全角カタカナで入力してください: enter using full-width Katakana
• 全角英数字: full-width Latin letters and numbers
• 半角英数字: half-width Latin letters and numbers

Why Japanese websites check character width

Some Japanese databases and older form systems store or compare character types strictly. Two values can appear similar to a person but remain different to the validator, so width conversion is often the quickest fix.

Common width mistakes

• Converting letters but leaving a half-width space
• Using ﾃｽﾄ when the form asks for full-width カタカナ
• Assuming 全角 is only a visual font setting
• Copying punctuation from another app without checking its width