2.6. Hiragana for /h/, /b/, /p/ + vowels


/h/ + vowels:
HiraganaPhonemeRomanizationDescription
(ha)/ha/"ha" audio English "h" + Japanese "a".
There is a single-syllable word with this kana whose actual phoneme is (wa) /wa/. It will be explained in a later lesson.
(hi)/hi/"hi" audio German "ch" in ich + Japanese "i".
English "hy" + Japanese "i" also works fine. The tongue position for this consonant is the same as that for English "y", but it is a voiceless consonant. Since the Japanese don't distinguish German "chi" from "hi", you can pronounce /hi/ as "hi".
(hu)/hu/"fu" audio English "h" + Japanese "u", or Greek "ph" + Japanese "u". (The letter "f" is used for Greek "ph", because it sounds like English "f")
The lips position for Greek "ph" is the same as that for English "w", but it is a voiceless consonant. Since Japanese people don't distinguish "fu" and "hu", you can pronounce /hu/ as "hu". I think English "hu" sounds more similar to Japanese /hu/ than English "fu" does.
(he)/he/"he" audio English "h" + Japanese "e".
There is a single-syllable word with this kana whose actual phoneme is (e) /e/. It will be explained in a later lesson.
(ho)/ho/"ho" audio English "h" + Japanese "o".


/b/ + vowels:
HiraganaPhonemeRomanizationDescription
(ba)/ba/"ba" audio English "b" + Japanese "a".
(bi)/bi/"bi" audio English "b" + Japanese "i".
(bu)/bu/"bu" audio English "b" + Japanese "u".
(be)/be/"be" audio English "b" + Japanese "e".
(bo)/bo/"bo" audio English "b" + Japanese "o".

Even though these hiragana are combinations of hiragana for /h/ + vowels and voiced sound marks, their consonants are not voiced "h".
See the next group for corresponding voiceless hiragana.


/p/ + vowels:
HiraganaPhonemeRomanizationDescription
(pa)/pa/"pa" audio English "p" + Japanese "a".
(pi)/pi/"pi" audio English "p" + Japanese "i".
(pu)/pu/"pu" audio English "p" + Japanese "u".
(pe)/pe/"pe" audio English "p" + Japanese "e".
(po)/po/"po" audio English "p" + Japanese "o".

The circles at the right top of hiragana are used only for these hiragana. This mark is called a semi-voiced sound mark ((ha)(n)(da)(ku)(te)(n) /ha N da' ku te N/ "handakuten" in Japanese).

Thousands of years ago, syllables now represented by hiragana for /h/ + vowels were pronounced as "p" + vowels. That's why those hiragana with voiced sound marks have the sound of "b". After the pronunciation of "p" shifted to "h", the semi-voiced sound mark was invented to stand for the sound of "p".


Hiragana examples:

Hiragana:(hu)(bu)(ki)
Phonemes:hu'buki
Romanization:fubuki
Meaning:snow storm (noun)

Hiragana:(he)(bi)
Phonemes:he'bi
Romanization:hebi
Meaning:snake (noun)

Hiragana:(ha)(ba)
Phonemes:haba
Romanization:haba
Meaning:width (noun)

Hiragana:(ha)(na)(bi)
Phonemes:ha'nabi
Romanization:hanabi
Meaning:fireworks (noun)

Hiragana:(bi)(bo)(u)
Phonemes:bibou
Romanization:bi
Meaning:beautiful face (noun)



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