Consonants
IPA | Hiragana example | Transliteration | English approximation |
b |
ばしょ, かびん | basho, kabin | bug |
bʲ |
びょうき | byōki | beauty |
ç |
ひと, ひょう | hito, hyō | hue |
ɕ |
した, いっしょう | shita, isshō | sheep |
d |
どうも, どうどう | dōmo, dōdō | doctor |
dz[1] |
ずっと, ぜんぜん, キッズ | zutto, zenzen, kizzu[2] | cards |
z[1] |
あざ, つづく | aza, tsuzuku | zoo |
dʑ[1] |
じぶん, じょじょ, エッジ | jibun, jojo, ejji[2] | jeep |
ʑ[1] |
みじかい, じょじょ | mijikai, jojo | vision |
ɸ |
ふじ | fuji | roughly like foot |
ɡ[3] |
がっこう, ごご, ぎんこう | gakkō, gogo, ginkō | goat |
ɡʲ[3] |
きぎょう | kigyō | argue |
h |
ほん, はは | hon, haha | hat |
j |
やくしゃ, ゆゆしい | yakusha, yuyushii | yacht |
k |
くる, はっき | kuru, hakki | skate |
kʲ |
きょうかい, けっきょく | kyōkai, kekkyoku | skew |
m |
みかん, せんぱい, もんもん | mikan, senpai, monmon | much |
mʲ |
みゃく | myaku | mute |
n |
なっとう, かんたん | nattō , kantan | not |
ɲ |
にわ, こんにゃく, きんちょう | niwa, konnyaku, kinchō | canyon |
ŋ[3] |
りんご, なんきょく | ringo, nankyoku | pink |
ɴ |
にほん | nihon | roughly like long |
p |
パン, たんぽぽ | pan, tampopo | span |
pʲ |
はっぴょう | happyō | spew |
ɾ |
ろく, そら | roku, sora | American better |
ɾʲ |
りょうり | ryōri | American party |
s |
する, さっそう | suru, sassō | soup |
t |
たべる, とって | taberu, totte | stop |
ts |
つなみ, いっつい | tsunami, ittsui[2] | cats |
tɕ |
ちかい, けっちゃく | chikai, ketchaku[2] | itchy |
ɰ[4] |
わさび | wasabi | roughly like was |
ɰ̃[5] |
ふんいき, でんわ, あんしん | fun'iki, denwa, anshin | sin |
ʔ |
あつっ! | atsu'! | uh-oh (glottal stop) |
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Vowels
IPA | Hiragana example | Transliteration | English approximation |
a |
ある | aru | father |
e |
えき, へ | eki | hey |
i |
いる | iru | meet |
i̥[6] |
した | shita | whispered meet |
o |
おに, を | oni | American owe |
ɯ[7] |
うなぎ | unagi | roughly like food |
ɯ̥[7][6] |
すきやき | sukiyaki | roughly like whispered food |
Suprasegmentals
IPA | Description | Japanese example | English approximation |
ː |
Long vowel | hyōmei, ojiisan | re-equalize |
ꜜ | Tone drop[8] | [kaꜜki] ("oyster"), [kakiꜜ] ("fence") | éjaan Inggris: [ˈmɛri] (merry), éjaan Inggris: [məˈriː] (Marie) |
. | Syllabification | nin'i [ɲiɰ̃.i] | react éjaan Inggris: [ri.ækt] |
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