is there an i sound in japanese like bike?

Tturtle · (#1 (**permalink**))

This may be an odd question, but I am here at work and a coworker told me there is no i sound (as in bike or bright) in Japanese. He lived in Japan for awhile when he was in the military in the early 90s. Thanks!

hennaz · (#2 (**permalink**))

the closest sound to "i" as in "bike" or "right" is "ai". Examples include the english loanwords "raion" (lion) and and "baiku" (motorbike).

Tturtle · (#3 (**permalink**))

so looks the letters "ai" would be the sound for i (bike) in romaji

anrakushi · (#4 (**permalink**))

all japanese sounds involve either an a,i,u,e or o except for one which is 'n'
all the 'i' sound the 'i' sounds like how we call the letter E, so 'ee' so for bike you have ba - i - ku (バイク) or ba-ee-ku but as you say this with speed the sounds kind of merge together a little bit.

Tturtle · (#5 (**permalink**))

okay. i understand what my coworker was saying now