富士
Fuji
IPA [ɸɯꜜ.dʑi]
English approx: FOO-jee
The mountain's short name. F is closer to a soft H, lips relaxed, no English F bite.
Language
How to pronounce Fuji.
Fuji is two syllables: foo-jee. The Japanese name for the mountain is Fujisan (foo-jee-SAHN), written 富士山. Fujiyama is the same kanji read differently and is mostly used outside Japan.
Forms
Three ways to say it
富士山
Fujisan
IPA [ɸɯ.dʑi.saɴ]
English approx: foo-jee-SAHN
The most common Japanese name. -san here means mountain, not the polite suffix for people.
富士山
Fujiyama
IPA [ɸɯ.dʑi.ja.ma]
English approx: foo-jee-YAH-mah
Mostly used by foreigners. Locals understand it but rarely say it.
Technique
Three things English speakers get wrong
F is soft
Japanese F is made with both lips, like blowing out a candle. Not the upper-teeth-on-lower-lip English F.
U is short
The U is barely voiced. Closer to "fhji" than "foo-jee" when said quickly by locals.
Ji is one syllable
Like the "ji" in "jeans", not two beats. No "joo" or "jye".
FAQ
Common questions
Is it Fuji or Fujisan?
Both are correct. Fuji is the short form, Fujisan (富士山) is what Japanese speakers normally use. The -san here means mountain, written with the same kanji as yama.
Is Fujiyama wrong?
Not wrong, but uncommon in Japan. The kanji 富士山 can be read either Fujisan or Fujiyama. Locals default to Fujisan.
What does Fuji mean?
The origin is debated. Theories include the Ainu word for fire, a word meaning eternal life, or a word meaning without equal. There is no settled answer.
How do I write Mount Fuji in Japanese?
富士山. Three kanji: rich (富), warrior or gentleman (士), mountain (山).
Plan