4 syllables: ya, ki, to, ri. Stress on ki.
yak-IT-uh-ree
/jæˈkɪtəˌɹi/
yakitori is pronounced yak-IT-uh-ree (/jæˈkɪtəˌɹi/). It has four syllables (ya-ki-to-ri), with the stress on "ki". Yakitori is a Japanese dish of skewered, grilled chicken, typically seasoned with tare sauce or salt. The term also refers to the skewers themselves. In pronunciation, it’s borrowed into English with Japanese phonology preserved, often heard in casual restaurant talk and recipe contexts. The word, used as a loanword, carries a light, clipped Japanese rhythm within English speech.
Yakitori is a Japanese dish of skewered, grilled chicken, typically seasoned with tare sauce or salt. The term also refers to the skewers themselves. In pronunciation, it’s borrowed into English with Japanese phonology preserved, often heard in casual restaurant talk and recipe contexts. The word, used as a loanword, carries a light, clipped Japanese rhythm within English speech.
"- We’re grabbing yakitori for dinner and trying a few different skewers."
"- The yakitori stand near the station offers tare and shio options."
"- She learned to cook yakitori at a culinary workshop focused on izakaya cuisine."
Pronounce as ya-ki-TO-ri with four syllables. IPA US: jaˈkiˌtoɾi; UK: ja.kɪˈtɔː.ri; AU: jaˈkɪ.tɔ.ɹi. Emphasize the second syllable KI and the rolled or tapped R in i-ri depending on speaker. Start with a light 'ya' then a crisp 'ki' followed by a clear 'to' and a final crisp 'ri'./IPA details: ya = /ja/, ki = /ki/, to = /to/, ri = /ɾi or ri/ depending on influence. Listen for a short, clean stop after k and a lightly tapped r.
Common errors: 1) Flattening or elongating the syllables so it sounds like ya-kee-TOH-ree or ya-kih-tor-ee; 2) Slurring the final -ri into -ree or dropping the final vowel; 3) Misplacing the R as a hard English R instead of a light tapped r. Correction: maintain four distinct syllables ya-ki-to-ri, with a crisp k-stop and a light tap on the r. Practice with a slight pause between ki and to, and ensure the final r remains brief.
In US English you may hear a slightly weaker final vowel and a lighter American rhoticity; UK speakers might drop the final rhoticity, making ri less pronounced and the t slightly crisper; Australian speakers tend to flatten vowels slightly and produce a quick, flat ending. Regardless, maintain four syllables and stress on KI, with a clear K + T stop sequence. IPA references help: US jaˈki toɾi, UK ja.kɪˈtɔː.ri, AU jaˈkɪ.tɔ.ɹi.
Because it combines a non-English consonant sequence (ki-to-ri) with a final vowel harmony that English speakers often blur. The Japanese R is a light, flap-like sound, not an English R, and the K+T stops require precise, quick releases. Also, the four-syllable count with equal vowel clarity is unfamiliar to many learners. Focusing on a crisp ki-to-ri with a tapped r and avoiding vowel reduction will help.
A unique aspect is the four-syllable, lightly aspirated cadence with a tap or light trill on the final syllable, which helps maintain Japanese rhythm in loanword usage. The initial ya remains compact, and stress on KI helps differentiate it from similar-sounding English loanwords. IPA guidance and listening to native pronunciation (Forvo) can help you feel the subtle Japanese voiceless stops.
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US: more rhotic, final syllable slightly reduced; UK: less rhotic, straighter vowels; AU: flatter vowels, shorter final vowel. Vowel specifics: ya /ja/, ki /ki/, to /tə/ or /toʊ/, ri /ɾi/ in American practice; in UK/AU, vowels may be closer to /ɪ/ or /ɔː/ depending on accent. Use IPA references, practice with minimal pairs: ya-ki-to-ri vs ya-ki-to-ree. Rehearse the four-syllable rhythm with crisp consonants; keep contact points at k and t short and precise.
Yakitori is a compound word from Japanese, combining ya- which means ‘grilled’ or ‘cook,’ and -kitori, a form historically interpreted as ‘chicken on skewers’ though the exact kanji-spelling is 優しい context varies. The root ya- in this culinary context relates to fire and cooking, while kitori derives from tori meaning bird or chicken. The term likely evolved in Edo-period street food culture as skewered poultry became a popular, convenient snack. As Japan’s izakaya and yakitori culture grew globally, the word migrated with minimal phonetic modification, preserving the pluralistic Japanese vowel timing and syllabic structure in English discourse. First known English usage emerged in the late 20th century as Japanese cuisine gained mainstream exposure; the word is now common in restaurant menus and cooking shows worldwide. The linguistic shift demonstrates typical loanword adaptation: retaining crucial consonant clusters (k-tori) while conforming to English phonotactics, with primary stress on the second syllable (ya-ki-TO-ri) in native matches, though English usage may vary with lighter stress on syllables depending on context. Overall, yakitori retains its cultural specificity while becoming a standard term in international dining parlance.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "yakitori" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "yakitori"
-ury sounds
-ery sounds
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