Japanese · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "動物" in Japanese?

Q: How do you pronounce 動物 in Japanese?

動物 is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written /doː.bɯ.tsɯ̥/. It means “animal.” do-o-bu-tsu, four beats — a long o at the front and a real affricate at the end.

do-o-bu-tsu, four beats — a long o at the front and a real affricate at the end.

動物 /doː.bɯ.tsɯ̥/

doubutsu

Four beats, front-loaded with a long vowel and finishing on a nearly voiceless one. English delivers the word in three quick syllables; Japanese needs four counts, with the first two being one continuous o.

Listen: 動物

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Sound it out

dou A dental d releasing into an o that runs for two full counts. The u in the romaji marks the length and is never voiced.

bu A straightforward b into the unrounded u. The lips close and must then spread rather than staying pursed.

tsu One indivisible affricate closing the word, with a u that devoices — so the final beat comes out as a sustained "ts."

Hear it in a sentence

一番好きな動物は犬です。

Ichiban suki na doubutsu wa inu desu.

My favorite animal is the dog.

Listen: 一番好きな動物は犬です。

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一番好きな動物は犬です contains 好き with its two devoiced vowels and 犬 (i-nu) with two clear short ones. So the sentence swings between whispered and fully voiced beats while keeping a completely constant tempo.

Where English speakers slip

"DOH-boo-tsoo" shortens the long vowel, stresses the first beat, and rounds both u's. Hold the opening o for two counts, spread the lips twice, and let the final vowel devoice. The affricate also tends to split — keep the t and s as one release.