とう vs とお (long vowel pronunciation)

Japanese Language Speaking
1

Hi there,

Is there a difference between とう (as in 東) and とお (as in 通る) in the way they are pronounced? Or is it the same long o sound for both?

2

There isn’t any difference from what I understand. I sometimes hear the second vowel come out in pairs like さい or せい, but おう and おお are pretty much the same thing.

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3

I don’t believe there is a difference between とお and とう when in the same kanji. However, it is common for verbs to have a noticeable う pronunciation when at the end of a verb, such as 拾う (ひろう).

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4

Thanks for the reply. So it’s tricky because sometimes う means a long vowel and sometimes it’s really a separate う sound. That’s good to know.

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