Editing Classical Japanese (section)

==== {{nihongo|D-row|ダ行|da-gyō}} rule ====

:''This section uses Nihon-shiki romanization for {{nihongo2|じ}}, {{nihongo2|ず}}, {{nihongo2|ぢ}}, {{nihongo2|づ}}.''

* The characters {{nihongo2|ぢ/ヂ}} (''di'') and {{nihongo2|づ/ヅ}} (''du'') are used in places other than changes caused by [[Rendaku|sequential voicing]] ({{nihongo2|連濁}} ''Rendaku''), where in modern kana {{nihongo2|じ}} (''ji'') and {{nihongo2|ず}} (''zu''), respectively, would be used. Again, this represents a former phonetic distinction, namely between a sound {{IPA|/z/}} (in {{nihongo2|じ}} ''ji'' and {{nihongo2|ず}} ''zu'') and a sound {{IPA|/d/}} (in {{nihongo2|ぢ}} ''di'' and {{nihongo2|づ}} ''du''). This rule applies equally to native and Sino-Japanese words, as well as a few [[Gairaigo|loanwords]] ({{nihongo2|外来語}} ''Gairaigo'').

Some examples:

'''Native words'''
* {{nihongo2|紫陽花 (あ'''ぢ'''さゐ) → 紫陽花 (あ'''じ'''さい)}} (''a'''di'''sawi'' → ''a'''zi'''sai'' "hydrangea") (notice that this example also contains a change from {{nihongo2|ゐ}} ''wi'' to {{nihongo2|い}} ''i'')
* {{nihongo2|水 (み'''づ''') → 水 (み'''ず''')}} (''mi'''du''''' → ''mi'''zu''''' "water")
'''Sino-Japanese words'''
* {{nihongo2|解除 (かい'''ぢよ''') → 解除 (かい'''じょ''')}} (''kai'''diyo''''' → ''kai'''zyo''''' "release") (notice the use of Y-row rule, explained below)
* {{nihongo2|地圖 (ち'''づ''') → 地図 (ち'''ず''')}} (''chi'''du''''' → ''chi'''zu''''' "map") (notice again that an old character form is involved)
'''Loanwords'''
* {{nihongo2|ラ'''ヂ'''オ → ラ'''ジ'''オ}} (''ra'''di'''o'' → ''ra'''zi'''o'' "radio") (this one is especially notable because it is an exceedingly rare example of a sound change that occurs in a loanword from English)

There are no known exceptions in standard Japanese pronunciation, although there are many dialects (such as the [[Tosa dialect]]) that preserve the distinction between historical {{IPA|/z/}} and {{IPA|/d/}} in speech, usually by using {{IPA|/ʑi/}} and {{IPA|/zu/}} for historical {{IPA|/z/}} and {{IPA|/d͡ʑi/}} and {{IPA|/d͡zu/}} for historical {{IPA|/d/}} (see [[Yotsugana]]). In writing, the distinction is preserved in single morphemes in cases where a sequence {{nihongo2|ちぢ}} (''chidi'') or {{nihongo2|つづ}} (''tsudu'') was historically produced by rendaku (such as in {{nihongo2|縮む (ち'''ぢ'''む)}} ''chi'''di'''m-u'', "shorten", and {{nihongo2|続く (つ'''づ'''く)}} ''tsu'''du'''k-u'', "continue", pronounced as if {{nihongo2|ち'''じ'''む}} ''chi'''zi'''m-u'' and {{nihongo2|つ'''ず'''く}} ''tsu'''zu'''k-u'', respectively), or in compounds where a phonemic {{IPA|/ti/}} or {{IPA|/tu/}} has been voiced to {{IPA|/zi/}} or {{IPA|/zu/}} (such as in {{nihongo2|身近 (み'''ぢ'''か)}} ''mi-'''di'''ka'' "one's surroundings" and {{nihongo2|仮名遣 (かな'''づ'''かい)}} ''kana-'''du'''kai'' "kana usage", pronounced as if {{nihongo2|み'''じ'''か}} ''mi-'''zi'''ka'' and {{nihongo2|かな'''ず'''かい}} ''kana-'''zu'''kai'', respectively). This usage is a holdover from this rule.