{"id":221,"date":"2024-06-23T21:57:18","date_gmt":"2024-06-23T13:57:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sanburs.xyz\/?p=221"},"modified":"2024-06-23T21:57:18","modified_gmt":"2024-06-23T13:57:18","slug":"how-do-i-write-an-english-word-in-japanese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sanburs.xyz\/index.php\/2024\/06\/23\/how-do-i-write-an-english-word-in-japanese\/","title":{"rendered":"How do I write an English word in Japanese?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u672c\u6587\u8f6c\u81ea \u8fd9\u91cc<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Katakana is phonetic, so a katakana transcription of an English word is based on how the word sounds, not how it is spelt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transcribing an English word into Japanese depends on how the word is heard by native speakers. The rules are complex. Some Japanese versions of English words, such as guzzu for \"goods\", are not intuitive to English speakers. Some Japanese representations are based on spelling as well as pronunciation. For example the Japanese monkii<\/em> (\u30e2\u30f3\u30ad\u30fc) for English \"monkey\" would be mankii<\/em> (\u30de\u30f3\u30ad\u30fc) if the Japanese was based on the pronunciation, m\u028c\u014bki in International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA symbols), alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rules for conversion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Plurals usually become singular, thus \"pyjamas\" becomes pajama, and \"slippers\" becomes suripaa. Thus in Japan shops sell \"Book\" and \"CD\" rather than \"Books\" and \"CDs\". Sometimes singular also becomes plural, as in fur\u016btsu for \"fruit\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Words with existing gairaigo forms usually keep that form. For example, \"black coffee\" becomes burakku k\u014dhii, even though k\u014dhii for coffee originally comes from Dutch (see Which Japanese words come from Dutch?<\/a>). Sometimes this doesn't happen. \"Beer garden\" becomes bia g\u0101den<\/em> (\u30d3\u30a2\u30ac\u30fc\u30c7\u30f3), although the Japanese word for beer is biiru<\/em> (\u30d3\u30fc\u30eb), from Dutch (see Which Japanese words come from Dutch?<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

==Japanese has fewer vowels than English, only five, and thus multiple English vowels may turn into the same Japanese vowels. For example, both the English vowel \u00e6 in \"thank\" and the vowel \u028c in \"cut\" become the Japanese a vowel. Similarly, long vowels such as \u0251\u02d0 in \"far\" and \u025c\u02d0 in \"fur\" both become Japanese \u0101.==<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Japanese has tended to favour British pronunciations, with words like \"vitamin\", becoming a British-sounding bitamin<\/em> (\u30d3\u30bf\u30df\u30f3) rather than American-sounding baitamin<\/em> (\u30d0\u30a4\u30bf\u30df\u30f3). The vowels used in Japanese are usually taken from the British (southern English) pronunciation rather than the American. The rhotic \"r\" of some forms of English is almost never represented in Japanese, although there are some exceptions, such as kariforunia<\/em> (\u30ab\u30ea\u30d5\u30a9\u30eb\u30cb\u30a2) for the American state of California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following table outlines the rules for transcribing English sounds. The English sounds are represented in International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

###Short vowels<\/p>\n\n\n\n

English sound (IPA)<\/th>Japanese<\/th>Examples<\/th>Japanese transcriptionCapitals indicate small kana<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\u026a<\/td>\u30a4, i<\/td>pit<\/td>\u30d4\u30c3\u30c8 (pitto)<\/td><\/tr>
\u025b<\/td>\u30a8, e<\/td>pet<\/td>\u30da\u30c3\u30c8 (petto)<\/td><\/tr>
\u00e6<\/td>\u30a2, a<\/td>ham<\/td>\u30cf\u30e0 (hamu)<\/td><\/tr>
\u00e6 after k<\/td>\u30ad\u30e3, kya<\/td>cap<\/td>\u30ad\u30e3\u30c3\u30d7 (kyappu)<\/td><\/tr>
\u028c spelt with an \"o\"<\/td>\u30aa, o (sometimes)<\/td>monkey, front, London<\/td>\u30e2\u30f3\u30ad\u30fc, \u30d5\u30ed\u30f3\u30c8, \u30ed\u30f3\u30c9\u30f3 (monkii, furonto, rondon)<\/td><\/tr>
\u0252<\/td>\u30aa, o<\/td>socks<\/td>\u30bd\u30c3\u30af\u30b9 (sokkusu)<\/td><\/tr>
\u028a<\/td>\u30a6, u<\/td>book<\/td>\u30d6\u30c3\u30af (bukku)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

###Schwa(weak vowel)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

English sound (IPA)<\/th>Japanese<\/th>Examples<\/th>Japanese transcriptionCapitals indicate small kana<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
non-final \u0259<\/td>not fixed, based on spelling.<\/td>about, pilot, London<\/td>\u30a2\u30d0\u30a6\u30c8, \u30d1\u30a4\u30ed\u30c3\u30c8, \u30ed\u30f3\u30c9\u30f3 (abauto, pairotto, rondon)<\/td><\/tr>
final position \u0259<\/td>aa<\/td>carrier, hamburger<\/td>\u30ad\u30e3\u30ea\u30a2\u30fc, \u30cf\u30f3\u30d0\u30fc\u30ac\u30fc (kyari\u0101, hamb\u0101g\u0101)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Long vowels<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
English sound (IPA)<\/th>Japanese<\/th>Examples<\/th>Japanese transcriptionCapitals indicate small kana<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\u0251\u02d0<\/td>\u30a2\u30fc, \u30a2 aa, a<\/td>car<\/td>\u30ab\u30fc (k\u0101)<\/td><\/tr>
i\u02d0<\/td>\u30a4\u30fc: ii<\/td>shield<\/td>\u30b7\u30fc\u30eb\u30c9 (shiirudo)<\/td><\/tr>
\u0254\u02d0<\/td>\u30aa\u30fc: oo<\/td>horse<\/td>\u30db\u30fc\u30b9 (h\u014dsu)<\/td><\/tr>
\u0254\u02d0(\u540c\u4e0a)<\/td>oa<\/td>\u30aa\u30a2: door<\/td>\u30c9\u30a2 (doa)<\/td><\/tr>
\u025c\u02d0<\/td>\u30a2\u30fc: aa<\/td>bird<\/td>\u30d0\u30fc\u30c9 (b\u0101do)<\/td><\/tr>
u\u02d0<\/td>\u30a6\u30fc \u016b<\/td>shoe<\/td>\u30b7\u30e5\u30fc (sh\u016b)<\/td><\/tr>
ju\u02d0<\/td>\u30e5\u30a6 y\u016b, see http:\/\/www.sljfaq.org\/afaq\/youon.htmlhttp:\/\/www.sljfaq.org\/afaq\/youon.htmlhttp:\/\/www.sljfaq.org\/afaq\/youon.html<\/a><\/td>cube<\/td>\u30ad\u30e5\u30fc\u30d6 (ky\u016bbu)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Diphthongs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
English sound (IPA)<\/th>Japanese<\/th>Examples<\/th>Japanese transcriptionCapitals indicate small kana<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
e\u026a<\/td>\u30a8\u30a4, ei<\/td>day<\/td>\u30c7\u30a4 (dei)<\/td><\/tr>
a\u026a<\/td>\u30a2\u30a4, ai<\/td>my<\/td>\u30de\u30a4 (mai)<\/td><\/tr>
\u0254\u026a<\/td>\u30aa\u30fc\u30a4, \u014di<\/td>boy<\/td>\u30dc\u30fc\u30a4 (b\u014di)<\/td><\/tr>
\u0254\u026a(\u540c\u4e0a)<\/td>\u30aa\u30a4, oi<\/td>toy<\/td>\u30c8\u30a4 (toi)<\/td><\/tr>
\u0259\u028a<\/td>\u30aa, o<\/td>phone<\/td>\u30d5\u30a9\u30f3 (fon)<\/td><\/tr>
\u0259\u028a(\u540c\u4e0a)<\/td>\u30aa\u30fc, \u014d<\/td>no<\/td>\u30ce\u30fc (n\u014d)<\/td><\/tr>
a\u028a<\/td>\u30a2\u30a6, au<\/td>now<\/td>\u30ca\u30a6 (nau)<\/td><\/tr>
\u026a\u0259<\/td>\u30a4\u30a2, ia<\/td>pierce<\/td>\u30d4\u30a2\u30b9 (piasu)<\/td><\/tr>
\u025b\u0259<\/td>\u30a8\u30a2, ea<\/td>hair<\/td>\u30d8\u30a2 (hea)<\/td><\/tr>
\u028a\u0259<\/td>\u30a6\u30a2\u30fc, uaa<\/td>tour<\/td>\u30c4\u30a2\u30fc (tsu\u0101)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Consonants<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
English sound (IPA)<\/th>Japanese<\/th>Examples<\/th>Japanese transcriptionCapitals indicate small kana<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\u03b8<\/td>\u30b7\u30e3, \u30b7, \u30b7\u30e5, \u30b7\u30a7, \u30b7\u30e7 s<\/td>think<\/td>\u30b7\u30f3\u30af (shinku)<\/td><\/tr>
\u00f0<\/td>z<\/td>the<\/td>\u30b6 (za)<\/td><\/tr>
r<\/td>\u30e9, \u30ea, \u30eb, \u30ec, \u30ed: r-kana<\/td>right<\/td>\u30e9\u30a4\u30c8 (raito)<\/td><\/tr>
l<\/td>\u30e9, \u30ea, \u30eb, \u30ec, \u30ed: r-kana<\/td>link<\/td>\u30ea\u30f3\u30af (rinku)<\/td><\/tr>
\u014b spelt \"ng\"<\/td>\u30f3\u30ac, \u30f3\u30ae ng<\/td>singer<\/td>\u30b7\u30f3\u30ac\u30fc (shing\u0101)<\/td><\/tr>
\u014b spelt \"ng\"(\u540c\u4e0a)<\/td>\u30f3, n (occasionally)<\/td>Washington, surfing<\/td>\u30ef\u30b7\u30f3\u30c8\u30f3, \u30b5\u30fc\u30d5\u30a3\u30f3 (washinton, s\u0101fin)<\/td><\/tr>
\u014b spelt \"nk\" or \"nc\"<\/td>n<\/td>sink<\/td>\u30b7\u30f3\u30af (shinku)<\/td><\/tr>
v<\/td>b<\/td>love<\/td>\u30e9\u30d6 (rabu)<\/td><\/tr>
v(\u540c\u4e0a)<\/td>\u30f4\u30a1, \u30f4\u30a3, \u30f4, \u30f4\u30a7, \u30f4\u30a9: v, written as \u30f4 (the u katakana) plus a small vowel<\/td>visual<\/td>\u30f4\u30a3\u30b8\u30e5\u30a2\u30eb (vijuaru)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Consonants taking small vowel kana<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
English sound (IPA)<\/th>Japanese<\/th>Examples<\/th>Japanese transcriptionCapitals indicate small kana<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
w<\/td>\u30a6\u30a3: u + small vowel kana<\/td>win<\/td>\u30a6\u30a3\u30f3 (win)<\/td><\/tr>
f<\/td>\u30d5\u30a1, \u30d5\u30a3, \u30d5, \u30d5\u30a7, \u30d5\u30a9: hu + small vowel kana<\/td>fight<\/td>\u30d5\u30a1\u30a4\u30c8 (faito)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Special consonant and vowel combinations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
English sound (IPA)<\/th>Japanese<\/th>Examples<\/th>Japanese transcriptionCapitals indicate small kana<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
ti, di<\/td>\u30c6\u30a3, \u30c7\u30a3 (te or de + small i) (newer method)<\/td>Disney<\/td>\u30c7\u30a3\u30ba\u30cb\u30fc (dizunii)<\/td><\/tr>
ti, di(\u540c\u4e0a)<\/td>chi, ji (older method)<\/td><\/td><\/td><\/tr>
tu<\/td>\u30c8\u30a5: to + small u (newer method)<\/td>Tourette's syndrome<\/td>\u30c8\u30a5\u30ec\u30c3\u30c8\u30b7\u30f3\u30c9\u30ed\u30fc\u30e0 (turettoshindor\u014dmu)<\/td><\/tr>
tu(\u540c\u4e0a)<\/td>\u30c4: tsu<\/td>two<\/td>\u30c4\u30fc (ts\u016b)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Consonant clusters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
English sound (IPA)<\/th>Japanese<\/th>Examples<\/th>Japanese transcriptionCapitals indicate small kana<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
dz<\/td>\u30c3\u30ba zzu<\/td>goods, kids<\/td>\u30b0\u30c3\u30ba, \u30ad\u30c3\u30ba (guzzu, kizzu)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Conversions based on spelling, and other oddities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

==Although most of the conversion from an English word into Japanese is based on the pronunciation, in several cases the pronunciation is based on spelling. In particular the schwa sound, the \"uh\" at the end of \"doctor\", has no near equivalent in Japanese and so is usually transcribed depending on the spelling of the vowel. Other cases where spelling takes precedence include the \u028c vowel, the \"u\" in \"cup\" and \"hut\", which is usually a, but when spelt with an o becomes o. For example \"monkey\" is monkii rather than mankii. Japanese also lengthens n sounds, such asAnna<\/em> (\u30a2\u30f3\u30ca) for the English name Anna, when they are spelt with two ns.==<\/p>\n\n\n\n

==In some cases, a mis-reading of a word survives into Japanese. For example, the woodworking tool \"router\", which should have become raut\u0101, is known as a r\u016bt\u0101, based on the spelling.==<\/p>\n\n\n\n

==Japanese tends to shorten three-mora constructions ending in syllabic n (\u3093) into two moras. For example \"stainless steel\" becomes sutenresu<\/em>(\u30b9\u30c6\u30f3\u30ec\u30b9) rather than suteinresu<\/em> (\u30b9\u30c6\u30a4\u30f3\u30ec\u30b9).==<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transcription of names<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the case of people's names, Japanese tends to transcribe into near-equivalent versions not based on the pronunciation. For example, the English name Sarah is often transcribed into Sara<\/em> (\u30b5\u30e9) rather than S\u0113r\u0101<\/em> (\u30bb\u30fc\u30e9\u30fc). For example American politician Sarah Palin is known as Sara Peirin<\/em> (\u30b5\u30e9\u30fb\u30da\u30a4\u30ea\u30f3) in Japan. Naomi is transcribed into Naomi<\/em> (\u30ca\u30aa\u30df), a common Japanese female name with a similar romanized spelling but different pronunciation, rather than N\u0113omi, a much closer representation of the pronunciation. For example British model Naomi Campbell is known as Naomi Kyamberu<\/em> (\u30ca\u30aa\u30df\u30fb\u30ad\u30e3\u30f3\u30d9\u30eb) in Japan. Similarly, Thomas is transcribed as T\u014dmasu using a long first vowel, and even more extremely, Paul may be transcribed into Paoro.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u672c\u6587\u8f6c\u81ea \u8fd9\u91cc Katakana is phonetic, so a katakana transcription of an E …<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sanburs.xyz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/221"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sanburs.xyz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sanburs.xyz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sanburs.xyz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sanburs.xyz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=221"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.sanburs.xyz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/221\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":222,"href":"https:\/\/www.sanburs.xyz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/221\/revisions\/222"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sanburs.xyz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=221"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sanburs.xyz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=221"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sanburs.xyz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=221"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}