The Universal Atlas of Phonetic Evolution
Back to Matrix [ɸ] → [h] Edit this Data

[h]→[ɸ]Certainty: 5/5Commonality: 4/5

Voiceless glottal fricative to Voiceless bilabial fricative

In Japanese, the voiceless glottal fricative [h] undergoes allophonic variation depending on the following vowel. Before the close back compressed vowel /u/ [ɯ], it is realized as the voiceless bilabial fricative [ɸ].

Phonetic Effects

Labialization, Allophonic Variation

Language Examples

/hu/→[ɸu]— Standard Japanese pronunciation of syllables starting with 'f' (e.g., 'fuji' [ɸɯdʑi]).

Related Transformations

More Japonic Shifts

Sources & References

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