The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is a standardized system for representing speech sounds. It provides a precise way to show exactly how Japanese words are pronounced.
Japanese Vowels
| Kana | IPA | Description |
|---|---|---|
| あ (a) | [a] | Open central vowel, like "a" in "father" |
| い (i) | [i] | Close front vowel, like "ee" in "see" |
| う (u) | [ɯ] | Close back unrounded vowel (lips not rounded) |
| え (e) | [e] | Mid front vowel, like "e" in "met" |
| お (o) | [o] | Mid back rounded vowel |
Common IPA Symbols
| Symbol | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [ɾ] | Flap R | Similar to "tt" in American "butter" |
| [ɴ] | Uvular N | The ん sound before certain consonants |
| [ː] | Long vowel | Indicates the vowel is held longer |
| [ʔ] | Glottal stop | Brief pause, like "uh-oh" |
| [ç] | Voiceless palatal fricative | The "h" in ひ (hi) |
Reading IPA Transcriptions
Example: 東京 (とうきょう)
[toːkʲoː]
Long "o" + "k" with palatalization + long "o"
IPA is useful for precise pronunciation, especially when learning sounds that don't exist in
your native language. However, the English respelling option may be easier for quick
reference.