How Many Syllables In Japanese?
3syllables
Japanese has 3 syllables, jap-a-nese. It is a trisyllabic word.
japanese
/ˌdʒæp.əˈniːz/ UK /ˌdʒæp.əˈniːz/ US
Stress
The main stress falls on the third syllable, nese.
Syllable Structure
CVC/V/CVC
Division By Sound
/dʒæp.ə.niːz/
Division By Letters
jap-a-nese
A spelling guide that follows the sound division.
Tree Diagram Of Japanese
S syllable, O onset, R rime, P peak, C coda, Ø no coda.
Parts Of Each Syllable
| Syllable | Onset | Peak | Coda | Pattern | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 secondary stress | dʒ | æ | p | CVC | closed |
| 2 | – | ə | – | V | open |
| 3 primary stress | n | iː | z | CVC | closed |
Why Japanese Divides Here
- Syllable 1 is stressed and has the short vowel /æ/, so it keeps a coda /p/.
- Between syllables 2 and 3, /n/ goes to the right, following the Maximal Onsets Principle.
Questions Students Ask
How many syllables are in Japanese?
Japanese has 3 syllables, jap-a-nese. In British English it is transcribed /ˌdʒæp.əˈniːz/.
Which syllable is stressed in Japanese?
The third syllable, nese, carries the main stress.
What is the syllable structure of Japanese?
Japanese has the structure CVC/V/CVC, where C is a consonant sound and V is a vowel sound.
How do you divide Japanese into syllables?
By sound, dʒæp.ə.niːz. By letters, as a spelling guide, jap-a-nese.