Uses
The chōonpu (長音符?), also known as onbiki (音引き?), bōbiki (棒引き?), or Katakana-Hiragana Prolonged Sound Mark by the Unicode Consortium, is a Japanese symbol which indicates a chōon, or a long vowel of two morae in length. Its form is a horizontal or vertical line in the center of the text with the width of one kanji or kana character. It is written horizontally (ー) in horizontal text and vertically (|) in vertical text. The chōonpu is usually used to indicate a long vowel sound in katakana writing, rarely in hiragana writing, and never in romanized Japanese. The chōonpu is a distinct mark from the dash, and in most Japanese typefaces it can easily be distinguished.
The symbol is sometimes used with hiragana, for example in the signs of ramen restaurants, which are sometimes written らーめん in hiragana. However, usually, hiragana does not use the chōonpu but another vowel kana to express this sound. The following table shows the usual hiragana equivalents used to form a long vowel, using the ha-gyō as an example.
Though you haven't many toys
You don't envy any boys
Every day's a work day
Your work is just a game
I'd like to sing your praise
But I don't know your name
You're just a shoe shine boy
You work hard all day
Shoe shine boy, got no time to play
Every nickel helps a lot
So shine, shine, shoe shine boy
You find joy in the things you do
Shoe shine boy seldom ever blue
You're content with what you've got
So shine, shine, shoe shine boy
People look at you with scorn
'Cause your clothes are worn and torn
Still you never whine
You keep looking up and down the street
Pleading with each one you meet
Brother, can you spare a shine?
Oh, shoe shine boy, soon the day will come
Shoe shine boy soon a tune you'll hum
Every nickel helps a lot
So shine, shine, shoe shine boy
Shoeshine boy how you do your work so well
Shoeshine boy tryin' to make a livin', you go somewhere
Shoeshine boy where are you gonna be ten years from now
Just move, just keep workin' shoeshine boy
I wanna know are you gonna be the richest man around
You've been a workin' so hard
So many things in life to learn
Shoeshine boy, what will you discover
Though it's a long way up, you'll reach the top
Now when you'll finally get back
Don't forget from where you came shoeshine boy
Workin' so hard in the noon day sun
Just, just keep workin' shoeshine boy
Look at ya now, gettin' it together
Teasing the guys and havin' lots of fun
Shoeshine boy, yeah, don't you know that you're a star
Yeah, you're a star shoeshine boy
Just the way, just the way that you are
You've been a workin' so hard
So many things in life to learn, so much to learn
Shoeshine boy, what will you discover
Yeah, shoeshine boy
Shoeshine boy
You've been a workin' so hard
Shoeshine boy
Don't you know that you're a star
You don't waste your words on me,
When everyone can see,
That you're a bum like me,
And laying in the gutter.
Whatcha gonna do now? (Shoe shine boy)
Whatcha gonna say now? (Shoe shine boy)
Whatcha got to say now? (Shoe shine boy)
You, you self-righteous son of a bitch,
I think it's all so rich,
You're digging your own ditch,
And now you're at the bottom.
You don't waste your words on me,
Cos everyone can see,
That you're a bum like me,
And laying in a gutter.
Whatcha gonna do now? (Shoe shine boy)
Whatcha got to say now? (Shoe shine boy)
Whatcha gonna say now? (Shoe shine boy)
Shoe shine!
Shoe shine!
Shoe shine!
Boy!
Shoe shine!
Shoe shine!
Shoe shine!
Shoe shine, boy...
Whatcha gonna do now? (Shoe shine boy)
Whatcha got to say now? (Shoe shine boy)
Whatcha gonna say now? (Shoe shine boy)