Vowel devoicing 母音の無声化

boin no museika · from English

What is vowel devoicing?

Vowel devoicing is when i and u in Japanese become whispered or nearly silent between voiceless consonants or at the end of words.

This is why です desu often sounds like des and すき suki like ski. It is common in Tokyo Japanese and less so in Kansai. Learners who pronounce every vowel fully sound careful but noticeably non-native.

Examples

です desu [des]; すき suki [ski] (like); ました mashita [maɕta]; 学生 gakusei [gaksei]

Kungfucius says: The u in desu exists on paper and in the hearts of beginners.