This kana is used in vocabulary and can function as a grammatical particle meaning 'and' when listing items, often implying a non-exhaustive list. For example, in the phrase 『りんごや みかん』 (ringo ya mikan, 'apples and oranges'), it connects nouns. It can also be used in exclamations or as part of words. Note that it is distinct from the small 『ゃ』 used in combination kana like 『きゃ』 (kya).