The long "o"

rickinto

後輩

30 Jul 2002

12

0

• 21 Nov 2002

• #1

When writing in Hiragana, is the second "O" in the long sounding "O", written in the Hiragana symbol for "U"???

Thanks for the help....

 

thomas

Unswerving cyclist

Admin

14 Mar 2002

21,053

18,906

• 21 Nov 2002

• #2

Take for example おうさま (ou-sama) = king.

I think that not all "long o's" ( ô ) are transcribed as "ou" in hiragana, but also as "oo". However, please don't quote me on that and wait for the nihongo experts.

 

moyashi

後輩

15 Apr 2002

1,717

19

• 24 Nov 2002

• #3

I believe so too.
I wonder where the "u" "o" actually sound different?

Probably a left vintage usage from the Heian period.

 

Maciamo

先輩

Twenty-year veteran

17 Jul 2002

5,907

385

• 25 Nov 2002

• #4

Usually a long "o" is spelled "ou", but sometimes it's "oo", like in ookii 大きい (big) or toori 通り (road, avenue). To avoid confusion, you can also pronounce "oo" as two separate "o", but in conversation both "ou" and "oo" sound the same.