Hey there Japanese learner! Have you ever struggled with properly pronouncing the "tsu" sound in Japanese? If so, you‘re not alone. Many English speakers find this consonant blend challenging. But have no fear – in this guide, we‘ll dig deep into everything you need to know about Japanese [ts].
The One and Only [ts]!
In Japanese, the consonant sound [ts] is a big deal. That‘s because there are no standalone "t" or "s" sounds in Japanese – instead, you have to combine kana characters to make them. [ts] is the only way to get that crisp "ts" consonant blend in Japanese words.
When romanized, the kana つ is written as "tsu". So any time you see "tsu" in a Japanese word, pronounce it as [ts] – not "t" plus "s"!
Here‘s a quick guide to writing Japanese [ts]:
| Hiragana | つ |
| Katakana | ツ |
| Romanization | tsu |
Let‘s jump into the nitty gritty details of how this puppy is pronounced!
Articulating [ts] to Perfection
When you pronounce [ts], you obstruct airflow by briefly pressing the tip of your tongue against the back of your top front teeth. This stop consonant is called an alveolar plosive.
After this brief stop, you release into the vowel while pulling the tongue back. The sibilant "s" sound is generated as air flows over the center of the tongue. Together it makes…[ts]!
It‘s the same mouth position as "tsunami" or "cats" in English. But in Japanese, [ts] can come at the beginning of a syllable – try it in "tsukuru"!
Is "Tsu" a Whole New Ballgame?
You may be wondering – is Japanese [ts] totally different from English [ts]? Well, let‘s investigate this linguistically.
In phonetic analysis, we look at how sounds are articulated. Based on the articulation, Japanese and English [ts] are essentially the same.
But in phonemic analysis, we examine the functional, contrastive units within a language. And here, Japanese and English [ts] differ significantly.
See, in English [ts] only occurs across syllable boundaries, like in "that‘s" /ðæts/. But in Japanese, [ts] is its own distinct phoneme that can start a syllable. It distinguishes meaning, like in:
| かつ | katsu |
| かす | kasu |
So the Japanese [ts] phoneme is unique and plays by different rules than English. It‘s not just an occasional blend – it‘s a core building block of Japanese syllables!
Tips for Mastering Japanese [ts]
As an English speaker, I know firsthand that Japanese [ts] can be tricky at first. Here are my top tips for getting it right:
-
Listen carefully – the more exposure you get, the more your brain will unconsciously adapt. Japanese audio content is your friend!
-
Slow it down – break words like "tsukuru" into individual kana, and practice pronouncing "tsu" in isolation before combining it into syllables.
-
Check your articulation – are you pressing the very tip of your tongue behind your teeth? This precision is key.
-
Contrast with [s] – pay attention to the differences between "su" and "tsu" sounds. Challenge yourself with minimal pairs.
-
Repetition and immersion – with regular practice, your muscles will strengthen and [ts] will start to feel natural. You‘ve got this!
Proper [ts] pronunciation is an essential building block for your Japanese skills. Stay positive, keep practicing, and you‘ll be wowing native speakers with your "tsu" mastery in no time!
So get out there and start honing your Japanese [ts] – 頑張ってね!
