phonetic alphabet
Technical term for a writing system where symbols represent sounds, such as the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) or kana.
The International Phonetic Alphabet is a type of phonetic alphabet.
音声記号 is a broader term for phonetic symbols, while 表音字母 specifically refers to a phonetic alphabet system.
表意文字 (ideogram) represents meaning directly, whereas 表音字母 represents sounds.
Compound of 表音 (hyōon, 'representing sound') + 字母 (jibo, 'letters of an alphabet'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is a modern technical coinage.