Same Sound Japanese Verbs with different Intonation

Japanese intonation is one of the often looked over aspects of the language. However, it is one part of Japanese that becomes more important the more Japanese you learn. there are few situations that incorrect intonation will make what you say incomprehensible but it can cause misunderstanding.

https://japaneseuniverse.com/2020/08/29/how-to-improve-your-intonation-in-japanese/

Below is a list of some common, two-syllable verbs in Japanese which have the same sound but different intonation.

https://japaneseuniverse.com/2024/02/18/pac-man-in-japaneseconcepts-behind-development-to-global-icon/

Verb Intonation Chart

かう	買う buy	飼う keep a pet
かく	欠く lack	書く write
きる	着る wear	切る cut
くむ	汲む scoop (water)	組む cross arms/legs or put something together
さく	咲く bloom	裂く tear
する	する do	擦る rub
つく	突く poke or thrust	着く・点く・付く arrive・ignite・stick
なる	鳴る ring	成る・生る become・bear fruit
ねる	寝る sleep	練る knead
はく	履く put on shoes or pants	吐く・掃く exhale or spit out・sweep
ふく	拭く wipe	吹く blow
ふる	振る shake or wave	降る come down (rain)
まく	巻く roll up	蒔く・撒く sow or seed・scatter
もる	盛る heap up	漏る leak
やむ	止む terminate	病む suffer or be sick from something
いる	居る be somewhere	射る・煎る shoot・roast

Resources

• Prosody Tutor – Suzuki-kun