Consonants
|
IPA |
Japanese example |
English approximation
|
b
|
basho |
bog
|
ç
|
hito |
hero
|
ɕ
|
shita, shugo |
show
|
d
|
dōmo |
dome
|
dz, z[1]
|
zazen |
zen, rods
|
dʑ, ʑ[1]
|
jibun, gojuu |
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]
|
|