Tongue twisters are a fun method to pick up new vocabulary. Funny words like tongue twisters, despite their difficulty, manage to get lodged in our brains extremely quickly. After a few repetitions, you’ll remember the words that make up the sentence!
Nevertheless, even mastering a couple of them can get you a long way in Japan. Tongue twisters in Japanese may be a fun method to practice your pronunciation. Learning the meanings of these tough words is also entertaining.
Here is the list of the top Japanese tongue twisters to try out:
1. 生麦生米生卵
Pronunciation: Nama-mugi nama-gome nama-tamago
2. バスガス爆発
Pronunciation: Basu gasu bakuhatsu
3. この釘はひきぬきにくい釘だ
Pronunciation: Kono kugi wa hiki nuki nikui kugi da.
4. 赤巻紙、黄巻紙、青巻紙
Pronunciation: Aka-maki-gami, ki-maki-gami, ao-maki-gami
5. なりの客はよく柿食う客だ。
Pronunciation: Tonari no kyaku wa yoku kaki kuu kyaku da
6. 裏庭には二羽庭には二羽鶏がいる。
Pronunciation: Uraniwa ni wa niwa, niwa ni wa niwa niwatori ga iru.
7. ブタがブタをぶったのでぶたれたブタがぶったブタをぶった。
Pronunciation: Buta ga buta o butta node butareta buta ga butta buta o butta.
8. 李も桃、桃も桃、李も桃も桃のうち。
Pronunciation: Sumomo mo momo, momo mo momo, sumomo mo momo mo momo no uchi.
9. 赤あかパジャマ黄きパジャマ茶ちゃパジャマ
Pronunciation: Aka pajama ki pajama cha pajama
10. かえるぴょこぴょこみぴょこぴょこ、合あわせてぴょこぴょこむぴょこぴょこ
Pronunciation: Kaeru pyoko pyoko mi pyoko pyoko awasete pyoko pyoko mu pyoko pyoko
11. には
が
いました。
Pronunciation: Niwa ni wa niwatori ga niwa imashita.
12. 肩かたたたき機き
Pronunciation: Katatatakiki
13. 東京とうきょう特許とっきょ許可局きょかきょく
Pronunciation: Toukyou tokkyo kyoka kyoku
14. 摘出てきしゅつ手術しゅじゅつ
Pronunciation: Teki shutsu shujutsu
15. バナナの謎なぞはまだ謎なぞなのだぞ
Pronunciation: Banana no nazo wa mada nazo nano dazo
16. あの子こもこの子こもとも子この子こ
Pronunciation: Anoko mo konoko mo tomoko no ko
17. この寿司すしは少すこし酢すが効ききすぎた。
Pronunciation: Kono sushi wa sukoshi su ga kiki sugita.
18. にゃんこ 子こニャンコ 孫まごにゃんこ
Pronunciation: Nyanko ko nyanko mago nyanko.
19. 低所ていしょ得者とくしゃ層そう
Pronunciation: Teisho tokusha sou
20. 油あぶらアルバム
Pronunciation: Abura arubamu
21. 魔術師まじゅつし 魔術まじゅつ修業中しゅぎょうちゅう
Pronunciation: Majutsushi majutsu shugyou chuu
22. 地図帳ちずちょうでチェジュ島とう探さがし
Pronunciation: Chizu chou de che ju tou sagashi.
23. 右目みぎめ右耳みぎみみ 右耳みぎみみ右目みぎめ
Pronunciation: Migime migi mimi migi mimi migi me
24. 青巻紙赤巻紙黄巻紙
Pronunciation: Aomakigami akamakigami kimakigami
25. 竹屋の竹薮に竹立てかけたのは，竹立てかけたかったから，竹立てかけた。
Pronunciation: Take-ya no takeyabuni take tatekaketa no wa, take tatekaketakatta kara, take tatekaketa.)
In conclusion, tongue twisters are a great party trick while meeting new people. It’s a fantastic method to work on your pronunciation.
You must concentrate on the individual sounds when reading a tongue twister. I recommend practicing them gently at first and then increasing the tempo. Shorter ones should be repeated several times.
