2.10. Hiraganas for /w/ + vowels


/w/ + vowels (modern Japanese):
HiraganaPhonemePronunciationDescription
(wa)/wa/"wa" audio Japanese "w" + Japanese "a".
Japanese "w" sounds like English "w", but Japanese "w" is slightly softer. Unlike English "w", you don't have to round your lips.
(i)/i/"i" audio This is the hiragana for /i/.
(u)/u/"u" audio This is the hiragana for /u/.
(e)/e/"e" audio This is the hiragana for /e/.
(o)/o/"o" audio This is the hiragana for /o/.

Note that there are no hiragana for /wi/, /wu/, /we/, or /wo/.
Japanese doesn't have those pronunciations.


/w/ + vowels (anciant Japanese):
HiraganaPhonemePronunciationDescription
(wa)/wa/"wa" audio Japanese "w" + Japanese "a".
(wi)/i/"i" audio This hiragana is not used in modern Japanese. It shares the same phoneme with (i) /i/.
Its pronunciation was "wi", but "w" has been lost.
(u)/u/"u" audio This is the hiragana for /u/.
(we)/e/"e" audio This hiragana is not used in modern Japanese. It shares the same phoneme with (e) /e/.
Its pronunciation was "we", but "w" has been lost.
(wo)/o/"o" audio There is a single-syllable word with this kana in modern Japanese. Other than that, this kana is not used in modern Japanese. It shares the same phoneme with (o) /o/.
Its pronunciation was "wo", but "w" has been lost.
The Romanization is "o", but some people use "wo" instead.


Hiragana examples:

Hiragana:(he)(i)(wa)
Phonemes:heiwa
Meaning:peace (noun)

Tip: In spite of the mistakes and crimes during the World War II, Japan has a relatively peaceful history. Japan had a policy of (sa)(ko)(ku) /sakoku/ (self-isolation) from 1639 to 1858, and Japan hadn't experience war at all for more than 200 years.
Regretting the tragedy it caused in the World War II, Japan forever renounced war. The Constitution of Japan denies the right of belligerency of the nation, so it will never send troops for war.


Hiragana:(zi)(wa)(re)
Phonemes:ziware
Meaning:earthquake chasm (noun)

Tip: Most earthquakes are caused by the pressure between plates, which are surface rock covering the earth and moving slowly to different directions. There are a dozen plates on the earth, and four plates are conflicting in and around Japan; they are the Eurasian plate, the Pacific plate, the North American plate, and the Phillipine Sea plate. A recent study suggests that there is another plate near Japan, the Amur plate. That's why Japan is a nest of earthquakes. :-(


Hiragana:(wa)(sa)(bi)
Phonemes:wa'sabi
Meaning:wasabi (noun)

Tip: Wasabi is a spice which have the same stimulus as mustard and used for sushi.



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