IPA is a system of special signs used to show the sounds people make in speech, not how a word is spelled. Teachers and dictionaries call this the International Phonetic Alphabet.

IPA IPA is是 a system of special signs一套特殊符號的系統 used to show用來標出 the sounds people make in speech人們說話時發出的聲音, not how a word is spelled而不是這個字怎麼拼。Teachers and dictionaries老師和字典 call this把這套系統叫做 the International Phonetic Alphabet國際音標。

Next to a word you might see marks that tell you how to say thought, so the th in think and the th in this are not treated as the same sound. Learners meet this in class and in the pronunciation part of a dictionary.

Next to a word在一個字旁邊 you might see marks你可能會看到一些符號 that tell you how to say thought告訴你thought要怎麼唸, so所以 the th in think think裡的th and和 the th in this this裡的th are not treated as the same sound不會被當成同一個音。Learners學習者 meet this會遇到這套符號 in class在課堂上 and和 in the pronunciation part of a dictionary在字典的發音部分。

You say the three letters, I-P-A.

You say你唸 the three letters這三個字母, I-P-A I-P-A。

Though actually, the same three letters also name a beer in bars (India Pale Ale) and, in some labs, a cleaning alcohol. Those are different lives of the letters. If you are looking the word up beside a pronunciation, you want the sound signs.

Though actually不過, the same three letters同樣這三個字母 also name也可以指 a beer in bars酒吧裡的一種啤酒 (India Pale Ale)印度淡色艾爾啤酒 and而且, in some labs在某些實驗室裡, a cleaning alcohol則指一種清潔用酒精。Those那些 are就是 different lives of the letters這些字母的不同面貌。If you are looking the word up beside a pronunciation如果你是在發音旁邊查這個字, you want你要找的 the sound signs是標音符號。