Japanese


Consonants

IPA

Japanese example

English approximation

b

basho

bog

ç

hito

hero

ɕ

shita, shugo

sheep

d

dōmo

dome

dz, z

zutto

zen, rods

, ʑ

jibun, gojū

gelatin, fusion

ɸ

fugu

food

(lips don't touch teeth, more
like blowing out a candle)

ɡ

gakusei

gape

h

hon

hone

j

yakusha, kyū

yak

k

kuru

skate

m

mikan

much

n

nattō

not

ɴ

nihon

long

ŋ

ringo, rinku

finget, pink

p

pan

span

ɽ

roku

close to /t/ in auto
in American English,
or between lock and
Scottish rock ([l] and [ɾ]).

s

suru

sue

t

taberu

tan

ts

tsunami

cats

chikai, kinchō

itch

wasabi

was

ʔ

(in Ryukyu languages)

uh-oh!


Vowels

IPA

Japanese example

English approximation

a

aru

father

e

eki

met

i

iru

need

yoshi, shita

(almost silent)

o

oniisan

cold

unagi

closest to boot

u͍̥

desu, sukiyaki

(almost silent)


Suprasegmentals

IPA

Japanese examples

English examples

ː

long vowel:

ojiisan

re-equalize

double consonant:

seppuku

big gram
(compare big ram)

tone drops:
kaꜜki (oyster), kakiꜜ (fence)

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