How to say "pronunciation" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 発音はつおんnoun, suru verb, transitive verbThe word for pronunciation as sound: how words are actually articulated in speech. Use it for good or bad pronunciation, or when practising how to say something aloud.
- 読み方よみかたnounLiterally 'way of reading': pronunciation in the sense of how a written word or kanji is read. Use it when asking which reading a character has, not about speech sounds in general.
Choose 発音 for pronunciation as the production of speech sounds, and 「読み方」 when the question is how a written word or kanji is read, i.e. which reading it takes.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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