Consonants
|
---|
IPA |
Japanese example |
English approximation
|
---|
b
|
basho |
bog
| ç
|
hito |
hero
| ɕ
|
shita, shugo |
sheep
| d
|
dōmo |
dome
| dz, z[1] |
zazen |
zen, rods
| dʑ, ʑ[1] |
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 |
finger
| p
|
pan |
span
| ɽ[2] |
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
| tɕ
|
chikai, kinchō |
itch
| w͍[3] |
wasabi |
was
| ʔ
|
(in Ryukyu languages) |
oh-oh!
|
|
Vowels
|
---|
IPA |
Japanese example |
English approximation
|
---|
a
|
aru |
father
| e
|
eki |
met[4] | i
|
iru |
need
| i̥
|
yoshi, shita |
(almost silent)
| o
|
oniisan |
cold
| u͍[5] |
unagi |
closest to boot
| u͍̥[5] |
desu, sukiyaki |
(almost silent)
|
Suprasegmentals
|
---|
IPA |
Japanese examples |
English examples
|
---|
ː
|
long vowel: ojiisan |
re-equalize
| double consonant: seppuku |
big gram (compare big ram)
| ꜜ
|
tone drops:
kaꜜki (oyster), kakiꜜ (fence)[6]
|
|