星 (ほし) vs 奉仕 (ほうし): the pronunciation difference
星 (ほし) is 2 beats; 奉仕 (ほうし) holds the vowel one beat longer (ー) and is 3 beats.
Meaning and beats
| Example | Meaning | Beats |
|---|---|---|
| 星ほし · hoshi | star |
|
| 奉仕ほうし · houshi | service / volunteering |
|
What changes
星 (ほし) is 2 beats; 奉仕 (ほうし) holds the vowel one beat longer (ー) and is 3 beats.
A long vowel keeps the same sound for two beats. Cut it short and ビール (beer) becomes ビル (building).
In a sentence
- 今夜は星がよく見えます。
- 地域の清掃活動に奉仕しました。
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.