Ruby Annotation Module

Reference: *Ruby Annotation Module at the W3C

Elements in this Module

ruby, rb, rt, rp, rbc, rtc

Description

The Ruby Annotation Module is used to associate ruby text with base text. Ruby text is chiefly used in East Asian documents and comprises a separate run of text which is associated with base text in order, for example, to provide a pronunciation guide for this base text. Typically, ruby text is rendered just above the corresponding base text.

The ruby element is the enclosing element which tells the user agent to associate the contained ruby text with the contained base text.

If only a simple, single run of ruby text is required for a section of base text, then the ruby element need contain only a rb (ruby base) and a rt (ruby text) element, with rp (ruby parenthesis) elements allowing fallback for user agents which do not understand ruby markup.

More complicated ruby annotation can also be achieved, however. For example, more than one run of ruby text may be associated with a particular piece of base text or specific parts of the ruby text may be associated explicitly with specific parts of the base text. For these tasks, the rbc and rtc elements must be used within the ruby element.

For detailed information see the *Ruby Annotation Module at the W3C.