変 (へん) vs 便 (べん) vs ペン: the pronunciation difference
変 (へん) and 便 (べん) have the same beats; only へ → べ changes, a voicing difference. 変 (へん) and ペン have the same beats; only へ → ぺ changes, a voicing difference.
Meaning and beats
| Example | Meaning | Beats |
|---|---|---|
| 変へん · hen | strange / change |
|
| 便べん · ben | flight / service / convenience |
|
| ペンぺん · pen | pen |
|
What changes
変 (へん) and 便 (べん) have the same beats; only へ → べ changes, a voicing difference.
変 (へん) and ペン have the same beats; only へ → ぺ changes, a voicing difference.
゛ makes a consonant voiced, and ゜ turns は into ぱ. 天気 (weather) and 電気 (electricity) differ only in voicing.
In a sentence
- いつもと音が違って、少し変です。
- 次の便は午後三時に出ます。
- 青いペンを貸してください。
Test yourself
Record one of the words. Mora compares your recording with that word and with its pair, then shows which one it sounds closer to.