Pronunciation

The 撥音ん (n) in Japanese, commonly known as "n", is a special sound that stands alone as a syllable in the Hiragana and Katakana syllabaries. It is called the "nasal consonant" and is unique in that it doesn’t have a vowel attached to it, unlike other syllables. ん is Hiragana and ン is Katakana.

ん(n) Pronunciation:

• ん (n): Pronounced as "n" (like the n in "son").

ん is a nasal sound made by closing the vocal tract and letting air pass through the nose. It can take on different qualities depending on the surrounding sounds, but it is primarily pronounced as a simple n sound.

Usage:

1. ん can appear at the end of a word, or in the middle when used in a contraction (e.g., たん (tan) or しん (shin)).

2. The pronunciation of ん can slightly change based on the following sound:

• Before b, p, or m sounds, it’s pronounced more like [m] (e.g., 看板(kanban) – "signboard").

• Before d, t, or n sounds, it's pronounced like [n] (e.g., 剣道(kendō) – "kendo".

• Before k, g sounds, it’s pronounced as a more velar [ŋ] (e.g., 番号(bangō) – "number".

In Japanese, ん is an essential part of the language, frequently appearing at the end of words or within compounds, and plays a key role in grammar and word formation.