2.8. Hiragana for /y/ + vowels


/y/ + vowels:
HiraganaPhonemeRomanizationDescription
(ya)/ya/"ya" audio Japanese "y" + Japanese "a".
Japanese "y" sounds like English "y", but Japanese "y" is slightly softer. Don't cause friction of breath.
(i)/i/"i" audio This is the hiragana for /i/.
(yu)/yu/"yu" audio Japanese "y" + Japanese "u".
(e)/e/"e" audio This is the hiragana for /e/.
(yo)/yo/"yo" audio Japanese "y" + Japanese "o".

Note that there are no hiragana for /yi/ or /ye/. Japanese doesn't have those pronunciations.


Hiragana examples:

Hiragana:(yu)(u)(ya)(ke)
Phonemes:yuuyake
Romanization:yake
Meaning:the red sky at sunset (noun)

Hiragana:(yu)(ka)(ta)
Phonemes:yukata
Romanization:yukata
Meaning:yukata (noun)

For your interest: Yukatas are light kimonos for summer. Kimonos are scarcely worn today because of Westernization, but Japanese people, especially young women, have begun to wear yukatas again, which are casual and yet have traditional beauty.

Hiragana:(yo)(ya)(ku)
Phonemes:yoyaku
Romanization:yoyaku
Meaning:reservation (noun)

Hiragana:(o)(yu)
Phonemes:oyu
Romanization:oyu
Meaning:hot water (noun)



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