The 3 Lies of the Gojuon Table — What Romanization Hides About Japanese Pronunciation

Introduction

Look at the gojuon table — the Japanese "alphabet." Everything looks neat and organized. The Sa-row is all S sounds. The Ta-row is all T sounds. The Ha-row is all H sounds.

Except... that's not true.

The gojuon table is hiding lies from you. Romanization (romaji) covers up what the sounds actually are. In this article, we expose 3 lies hidden in the table, plus a bonus. Once you know them, you'll immediately become more aware of your pronunciation.

📖 Contents

Lie 1: Sa-row — し is NOT an S sound
Lie 2: Ta-row — ち is NOT T, and neither is つ
Lie 3: Ha-row — ひ is NOT H, and ふ is NOT F
Bonus: に — The hidden palatal nasal
Summary
Related Videos
Next Step

Lie 1: Sa-row — し is NOT [si]

Concept

In romaji, the Sa-row reads: Sa, Shi, Su, Se, So.

Wait — "Shi" already looks different, right?

さ, す, せ, そ use a normal S sound [s]. Your tongue tip sits behind your teeth.

But し is a completely different consonant. Your tongue pulls back toward the hard palate (the roof of your mouth). In phonetics, it's written as [ɕ] — a separate symbol from S. They are genuinely different consonants.

Here's what matters: Japanese し is NOT the same as English "see." It's closer to English "she" — softer, with the tongue further back.

Examples

寿司（すし）— sushi

Inside this one word, there are two different consonants: す [s] and し [ɕ]

新幹線（しんかんせん）— shinkansen

し and せ are both in the Sa-row, but they use different consonants

おさしみ — sashimi

さ [sa] and し [ɕi]: when you say it slowly, you can feel your tongue shifting position

Common Mistakes

❌ NG	✅ OK	Why
Pronouncing し as [si] (like English "see")	Pronouncing し as [ɕi] (tongue toward palate)	Japanese し is palatalized — a different consonant from S
Using the "s" from "see"	Using a softer sound closer to "she"	The tongue position is further back

Practice

Challenge: Say す and し alternating slowly.

す → tongue stays forward (normal S)

し → tongue pulls back (palatalized sound)

If you can feel your tongue moving, you've uncovered Lie 1.

Lie 2: Ta-row — ち is NOT [ti], つ is NOT [tu]

Concept

The Ta-row has TWO rule-breakers: ち and つ. Neither one is a T sound.

ち [tɕi]:

Not [ti]. It's an "affricate" — like "ch" in "cheese." Your tongue stops ("t") and then releases with friction ("sh"). Two steps in one instant. Same palatal position as し.

つ [tsɯ]:

Not [tu] either. Also an affricate, but in a different position. つ sounds like "ts" — like the end of "cats." Your tongue stops, then air hisses out between your tongue and teeth.

English doesn't normally start words with [ts]. That's why "tsunami" feels awkward for English speakers — many actually say "sunami" without the T.

Examples

地図（ちず）— map

Say "tizu" — sounds wrong, right? ち needs that "ch" quality

津波（つなみ）— tsunami

English borrowed this word but dropped the [ts] onset. In Japanese, the つ is fully pronounced

机（つくえ）— desk

つ is the alveolar affricate [ts] — a rare sound that Japanese uses every day

Common Mistakes

❌ NG	✅ OK	Why
Pronouncing ち as [ti]	Pronouncing ち as [tɕi] ("ch" sound)	It's an affricate, not a simple T
Pronouncing つ as [tu]	Pronouncing つ as [tsɯ]	Alveolar affricate — T + S in one step

Practice

Challenge: Say た・ち・つ・て・と slowly.

た, て, と → your tongue stops once and releases (plosive).

ち, つ → your tongue stops AND THEN air hisses out (affricate).

Can you feel the extra air on ち and つ? Two rule-breakers in one row.

Proof they're not T: Modern Japanese created ティ and トゥ for loanwords. If ち were already [ti], why would ティ exist?

Lie 3: Ha-row — ひ is NOT [hi], ふ is NOT F or H

Concept

The Ha-row also has TWO rebels: ひ and ふ.

ふ [ɸ]:

When you say ふ, are your top teeth touching your bottom lip? If so, you're making an English F. Japanese ふ is different: no teeth involved. Just bring both lips close together and push air through.

In phonetics, this is called a "bilabial fricative" [ɸ]. Not F, not H. A sound unique to ふ. It's quite rare across world languages.

Historically, ふ used to be a P-row sound (close to ぷ). It changed over more than a thousand years to become today's sound.

ひ [ç]:

ひ is not a normal H either. は, へ, ほ use breathy air from the throat (glottal H). But ひ is different: your tongue rises and air passes through the hard palate. In phonetics: [ç]. Same sound as the "ch" in German "ich."

English comparison: English H is mostly just breath. Japanese は, へ, ほ are similar. But ひ and ふ are completely different from English H or F.

Examples

富士山（ふじさん）— Mount Fuji

The English "Fuji" uses F with teeth on lip. Japanese ふじ uses only the lips — no teeth

人（ひと）— person

ひ doesn't come from the throat like H. Air flows through the palate, like German "ich"

冬（ふゆ）— winter

Romaji says "fuyu," but that F is a lie. The real sound is [ɸ] — lips without teeth

Common Mistakes

❌ NG	✅ OK	Why
Pronouncing ふ as F [f] (teeth on bottom lip)	Bringing both lips close and blowing air [ɸ]	Bilabial fricative — no teeth involved
Pronouncing ひ as throat H [h]	Producing friction at the palate [ç]	Same position as German "ich"

Practice

Challenge 1: Say "Fuji" WITHOUT your teeth touching your lip. Just push air between both lips. That's the real ふ.

Challenge 2: Alternate between は and ひ. は = breathy (throat). ひ = friction at the roof of your mouth. Can you feel the difference?

Bonus: に — A Familiar Tongue Position

Say な, に, ぬ, ね, の. Sounds like the same N all the way through, right?

Wrong. に is NOT the same N as な.

When you say な, your tongue tip touches behind your teeth. Normal N.

But に? Your tongue spreads flat against the hard palate. Phonetically, this is close to a palatal nasal [ɲ].

Think of the "ny" in "canyon" or the "gn" in "lasagna." The tongue position is very similar — not identical, but close enough to use as a starting point.

にほん (Japan) — that first に is produced in a very similar area to the "ny" in "canyon."

Challenge: Say "canyon" — now say に. The tongue does something very similar. Can you feel it?

Summary

Lie	Row	Sound	What romaji claims	The real sound
Lie 1	Sa	し	S	[ɕ] palatal fricative
Lie 2	Ta	ち	T	[tɕ] palatal affricate
Lie 2	Ta	つ	T	[ts] alveolar affricate
Lie 3	Ha	ひ	H	[ç] palatal fricative
Lie 3	Ha	ふ	H / F	[ɸ] bilabial fricative
Bonus	Na	に	N	[ɲ] palatal nasal

Romanization is convenient, but it doesn't teach you the real sounds. Knowing the gojuon's lies lets you become conscious of your pronunciation and improve it.

▶️ Related Videos

The full explanation with pronunciation practice is also available on video:

Main Lesson (long-form):

👉 The 3 Lies of the Gojuon — What Your Textbook Didn't Tell You

💡 Tip: Turn on English subtitles (CC) on your first viewing to fully understand the content.

🎓 Next Step

On YouTube I teach the secrets of Japanese pronunciation, but on Preply I listen to YOUR pronunciation and we practice together.

With a native ear, I can tell you exactly how your し, ち, and ふ sound, and give you personalized feedback in a one-on-one lesson.

👉 Book a trial lesson on Preply

Subscribe to stay updated with new lessons every week.

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube

See you next time! Chao chao!

Introduction

Look at the gojuon table — the Japanese "alphabet." Everything looks neat and organized. The Sa-row is all S sounds. The Ta-row is all T sounds. The Ha-row is all H sounds.

Except... that's not true.

📖 Contents

Lie 1: Sa-row — し is NOT an S sound
Lie 2: Ta-row — ち is NOT T, and neither is つ
Lie 3: Ha-row — ひ is NOT H, and ふ is NOT F
Bonus: に — The hidden palatal nasal
Summary
Related Videos
Next Step

Lie 1: Sa-row — し is NOT [si]

Concept

In romaji, the Sa-row reads: Sa, Shi, Su, Se, So.

Wait — "Shi" already looks different, right?

さ, す, せ, そ use a normal S sound [s]. Your tongue tip sits behind your teeth.

Here's what matters: Japanese し is NOT the same as English "see." It's closer to English "she" — softer, with the tongue further back.

Examples

寿司（すし）— sushi

Inside this one word, there are two different consonants: す [s] and し [ɕ]

新幹線（しんかんせん）— shinkansen

し and せ are both in the Sa-row, but they use different consonants

おさしみ — sashimi

さ [sa] and し [ɕi]: when you say it slowly, you can feel your tongue shifting position

Common Mistakes

❌ NG	✅ OK	Why
Pronouncing し as [si] (like English "see")	Pronouncing し as [ɕi] (tongue toward palate)	Japanese し is palatalized — a different consonant from S
Using the "s" from "see"	Using a softer sound closer to "she"	The tongue position is further back

Practice

Challenge: Say す and し alternating slowly.

す → tongue stays forward (normal S)

し → tongue pulls back (palatalized sound)

If you can feel your tongue moving, you've uncovered Lie 1.

Lie 2: Ta-row — ち is NOT [ti], つ is NOT [tu]

Concept

The Ta-row has TWO rule-breakers: ち and つ. Neither one is a T sound.

ち [tɕi]:

Not [ti]. It's an "affricate" — like "ch" in "cheese." Your tongue stops ("t") and then releases with friction ("sh"). Two steps in one instant. Same palatal position as し.

つ [tsɯ]:

Not [tu] either. Also an affricate, but in a different position. つ sounds like "ts" — like the end of "cats." Your tongue stops, then air hisses out between your tongue and teeth.

English doesn't normally start words with [ts]. That's why "tsunami" feels awkward for English speakers — many actually say "sunami" without the T.

Examples

地図（ちず）— map

Say "tizu" — sounds wrong, right? ち needs that "ch" quality

津波（つなみ）— tsunami

English borrowed this word but dropped the [ts] onset. In Japanese, the つ is fully pronounced

机（つくえ）— desk

つ is the alveolar affricate [ts] — a rare sound that Japanese uses every day

Common Mistakes

❌ NG	✅ OK	Why
Pronouncing ち as [ti]	Pronouncing ち as [tɕi] ("ch" sound)	It's an affricate, not a simple T
Pronouncing つ as [tu]	Pronouncing つ as [tsɯ]	Alveolar affricate — T + S in one step

Practice

Challenge: Say た・ち・つ・て・と slowly.

た, て, と → your tongue stops once and releases (plosive).

ち, つ → your tongue stops AND THEN air hisses out (affricate).

Can you feel the extra air on ち and つ? Two rule-breakers in one row.

Proof they're not T: Modern Japanese created ティ and トゥ for loanwords. If ち were already [ti], why would ティ exist?

Lie 3: Ha-row — ひ is NOT [hi], ふ is NOT F or H

Concept

The Ha-row also has TWO rebels: ひ and ふ.

ふ [ɸ]:

In phonetics, this is called a "bilabial fricative" [ɸ]. Not F, not H. A sound unique to ふ. It's quite rare across world languages.

Historically, ふ used to be a P-row sound (close to ぷ). It changed over more than a thousand years to become today's sound.

ひ [ç]:

English comparison: English H is mostly just breath. Japanese は, へ, ほ are similar. But ひ and ふ are completely different from English H or F.

Examples

富士山（ふじさん）— Mount Fuji

The English "Fuji" uses F with teeth on lip. Japanese ふじ uses only the lips — no teeth

人（ひと）— person

ひ doesn't come from the throat like H. Air flows through the palate, like German "ich"

冬（ふゆ）— winter

Romaji says "fuyu," but that F is a lie. The real sound is [ɸ] — lips without teeth

Common Mistakes

❌ NG	✅ OK	Why
Pronouncing ふ as F [f] (teeth on bottom lip)	Bringing both lips close and blowing air [ɸ]	Bilabial fricative — no teeth involved
Pronouncing ひ as throat H [h]	Producing friction at the palate [ç]	Same position as German "ich"

Practice

Challenge 1: Say "Fuji" WITHOUT your teeth touching your lip. Just push air between both lips. That's the real ふ.

Challenge 2: Alternate between は and ひ. は = breathy (throat). ひ = friction at the roof of your mouth. Can you feel the difference?

Bonus: に — A Familiar Tongue Position

Say な, に, ぬ, ね, の. Sounds like the same N all the way through, right?

Wrong. に is NOT the same N as な.

When you say な, your tongue tip touches behind your teeth. Normal N.

But に? Your tongue spreads flat against the hard palate. Phonetically, this is close to a palatal nasal [ɲ].

Think of the "ny" in "canyon" or the "gn" in "lasagna." The tongue position is very similar — not identical, but close enough to use as a starting point.

にほん (Japan) — that first に is produced in a very similar area to the "ny" in "canyon."

Challenge: Say "canyon" — now say に. The tongue does something very similar. Can you feel it?

Summary

Lie	Row	Sound	What romaji claims	The real sound
Lie 1	Sa	し	S	[ɕ] palatal fricative
Lie 2	Ta	ち	T	[tɕ] palatal affricate
Lie 2	Ta	つ	T	[ts] alveolar affricate
Lie 3	Ha	ひ	H	[ç] palatal fricative
Lie 3	Ha	ふ	H / F	[ɸ] bilabial fricative
Bonus	Na	に	N	[ɲ] palatal nasal

Romanization is convenient, but it doesn't teach you the real sounds. Knowing the gojuon's lies lets you become conscious of your pronunciation and improve it.

▶️ Related Videos

The full explanation with pronunciation practice is also available on video:

Main Lesson (long-form):

👉 The 3 Lies of the Gojuon — What Your Textbook Didn't Tell You

💡 Tip: Turn on English subtitles (CC) on your first viewing to fully understand the content.

🎓 Next Step

On YouTube I teach the secrets of Japanese pronunciation, but on Preply I listen to YOUR pronunciation and we practice together.

With a native ear, I can tell you exactly how your し, ち, and ふ sound, and give you personalized feedback in a one-on-one lesson.

👉 Book a trial lesson on Preply

Subscribe to stay updated with new lessons every week.

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube

See you next time! Chao chao!