フォネーム

noun

phoneme

Linguistics term for the smallest unit of sound that distinguishes meaning. Often contrasted with 音素 (おんそ), the more common Japanese term.

from French phonème

See also: 音素

• 日本にほん語ごのフォネームの数かずは英えい語ごより少すくない。

  The number of phonemes in Japanese is smaller than in English.

• フォネームの概がい念ねんは構こう造ぞう言げん語ご学がくで重じゅう要ようだ。

  The concept of the phoneme is important in structural linguistics.