RY
リャリュリョ — The RY Row
01
Read “rya, ryu, ryo”
The RY set is a full-size リ (ri) plus a small ャ, ュ, or ョ, each one syllable with the soft Japanese r: リ + ャ = リャ (rya), リ + ュ = リュ (ryu), リ + ョ = リョ (ryo). リュ is the most common in loanwords; リャ and リョ are rarer there, though all three are everyday sounds in Japanese names and words.
One syllable: リュ is “ryu,” one beat with a single soft tap of the r — not “ri-yu.” The small ャ ュ ョ sit at about half height in the lower right.
02
Pronunciation at a glance
03
Words with the RY kana
リュ opens a few loanwords; リャ and リョ are rare. Here are a handful.
リュックryukkubackpack
リュックサックryukkusakkurucksack, backpack
ボリュームboryūmuvolume
リュートryūtolute (instrument)
リャマryamallama
04
What's next
Now the voiced combined kana begin. Next is the GY set (ギャ ギュ ギョ) — built on ギ (キ with a dakuten), and read “gya, gyu, gyo.”