How to Pronounce the Japanese Words for “White,“ “Red,“ and “Blue“326

Introduction

The Japanese language is rich in vocabulary and has a complex system of pronunciation. This can be especially challenging for learners who are not familiar with the Japanese writing system. In this article, we will focus on the pronunciation of the Japanese words for "white," "red," and "blue." We will provide both the romaji (Romanized Japanese) and kana (Japanese phonetic script) spellings of each word, as well as audio recordings to help you practice your pronunciation.

White

The Japanese word for "white" is shiro. It is written in hiragana as しろ and in katakana as シロ.

The "sh" sound in shiro is pronounced similarly to the "sh" sound in the English word "sheep." The "i" sound is pronounced like the "i" sound in the English word "sit." The "ro" sound is pronounced like the "ro" sound in the English word "row." Thus, the word shiro is pronounced "shee-ro."

Red

The Japanese word for "red" is akai. It is written in hiragana as あかい and in katakana as アカ.

The "a" sound in akai is pronounced like the "a" sound in the English word "father." The "k" sound is pronounced like the "k" sound in the English word "kite." The "i" sound is pronounced like the "i" sound in the English word "sit." Thus, the word akai is pronounced "ah-kah-i."

Blue

The Japanese word for "blue" is aoi. It is written in hiragana as あおい and in katakana as アオイ.

The "a" sound in aoi is pronounced like the "a" sound in the English word "father." The "o" sound is pronounced like the "o" sound in the English word "boat." The "i" sound is pronounced like the "i" sound in the English word "sit." Thus, the word aoi is pronounced "ah-oh-i."

Conclusion

Now that you know how to pronounce the Japanese words for "white," "red," and "blue," you can start practicing your Japanese conversation skills. Be sure to listen to the audio recordings provided in this article to help you improve your pronunciation.

2025-02-03

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