Japanese pitch accent can be the difference between saying ‘candy’ and ‘rain’ — and both are written あめ (ame). These minimal pairs — words that are spelled identically but have different pitch patterns — reveal exactly why pitch accent matters. This guide shows you the most important pairs and gives you practical tools to start hearing the difference.
| Word | Kanji | Pitch Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| あめ (ame) | 雨 | LH → rain | Rain (low-high) |
| あめ (ame) | 飴 | HL → candy | Candy (high-low) |
| はし (hashi) | 橋 | LH | Bridge |
| はし (hashi) | 箸 | HL | Chopsticks |
| はし (hashi) | 端 | LH (different from 橋) | Edge |
| かき (kaki) | 牡蠣 | LH | Oyster |
| かき (kaki) | 柿 | HL | Persimmon |
| き (ki) | 木 | H | Tree |
| き (ki) | 気 | H (same — context disambiguates) | Spirit / feeling |
What Is Japanese Pitch Accent?
Yuka日本語のアクセントは英語と違って「音の高低」で区別する！「高い（H）」と「低い（L）」の組み合わせで意味が変わる。東京方言（標準語）には4つのアクセント型があるよ。
(Japanese pitch accent distinguishes words by the HIGH (H) and LOW (L) pattern of each mora — unlike English stress. Standard Tokyo Japanese has 4 pitch pattern types.)
Unlike English stress (where syllables get louder/longer), Japanese pitch accent makes syllables go UP (high) or DOWN (low) in pitch. The pattern can completely change meaning.
The Most Important Minimal Pairs
| Pair 1: あめ | Pitch | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| あ↑め (Low-High) | LH | 雨 rain |
| あ↓め (High-Low) | HL | 飴 candy |
Yuka「あめ」の2つの意味、聞き分けられる？「雨」はL-H（あが低くてめが高い）。「飴」はH-L（あが高くてめが低い）。スーパーで「あめをください」と言うと、どちらが伝わるかは発音次第！
(Can you hear the difference between the two あめ? 雨 is L-H (low ‘a’, high ‘me’). 飴 is H-L (high ‘a’, low ‘me’). In a store, the one you get depends entirely on your pitch!)
| Pair 2: はし | Pitch | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| は↑し (LH) | Low-High | 橋 bridge |
| は↓し (HL) | High-Low | 箸 chopsticks |
| Pair 3: かき | Pitch | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| か↑き (LH) | Low-High | 牡蠣 oyster |
| か↓き (HL) | High-Low | 柿 persimmon |
| Pair 4: はな | Pitch | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| は↑な (LH) | Low-High | 花 flower |
| は↓な (HL) | High-Low | 鼻 nose |
The 4 Pitch Accent Patterns in Tokyo Japanese
| Pattern | Name | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type 0 (平板, heiban) | Flat | Starts L, stays H to the end | 桜 (sakura) — L-H-H |
| Type 1 (頭高, atamadaka) | Head-high | Starts H, falls immediately after | 春 (haru) — H-L |
| Type 2 (中高, nakadaka) | Middle-high | H peak in the middle | 男 (otoko) — L-H-L |
| Type 3 (尾高, odaka) | Tail-high | Stays H till the last mora, then drops before particle | 弟 (otouto) — L-H-H↓ |
Rei完璧なピッチアクセントを目指す必要はないよ。でも最重要ペア（橋・箸・雨・飴）を知っておくだけで、日常会話での誤解がかなり減る！少しずつ耳を鍛えていこう。
(You don’t need perfect pitch accent to communicate — but knowing the most important pairs (hashi, ame, hana) prevents a lot of everyday misunderstandings. Train your ear bit by bit!)
How to Train Your Pitch Accent Ear
| Method | How to do it |
|---|---|
| Listen to NHK news | Standard Tokyo pitch — slowish, clear |
| Use Forvo.com | Hear native pronunciation of specific words |
| Shadowing with pitch marking text | Mark H/L on transcripts, then shadow |
| Anki with audio | Add audio cards; mark pitch in the card fields |
| Japanese Pitch Accent Dictionary (app) | Look up any word’s pitch pattern instantly |
Quick Quiz
1. 箸 (chopsticks) — does は start high or low?
→ High (HL pattern) — は is high, し drops.
2. 雨 (rain) — does あ start high or low?
→ Low (LH pattern) — あ is low, め rises.
3. What are the two meanings of はな depending on pitch?
→ 花 (flower) LH and 鼻 (nose) HL.
Can you already hear the pitch difference in あめ? Tell us in the comments! 💬
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