Matthew
マシュー
Mashū
Also written マシュウ.
How It Is Said
- マma
- シュshu
- ーu
Mashū: three beats, each about the same length. Japanese has no strong stress, so the name is said evenly, beat by beat.
By Language
| Language | Katakana | Rōmaji | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | マシュー | Mashū | the usual form |
| マシュウ | Mashuu | also in use |
What Happens to the Sounds
- Japanese has no th; it is written with the s row, サ シ ス セ ソ: シュ (shu).
- The bar ー makes the vowel before it long, one beat more: シュー (shū).
The Gospel of Matthew is マタイによる福音書 in Japanese: Matthew is マタイ (Matai) there.
To Type It
On a computer with Japanese input switched on, type mashu- (the - key gives the bar ー), then press F7 on Windows or Control+K on a Mac to turn it into katakana. On a phone, type the same letters with the Japanese keyboard and choose マシュー among the suggestions.
The Same Name in Other Languages
Why Katakana
In Japan, names from abroad are written in katakana, the script for words from other languages. Kanji versions of Western names are mostly invented, and a Japanese reader often sees odd meanings in them; the katakana is what a Japanese person would really write. More on katakana and names
