When is 酒 pronounced sake and when is it pronuounced saka? And why?


Saka as in 酒場{さかば} or zaka as in 居酒屋{いざかや}

Sake as in 酒{さけ}




The difference between さか and ざか is just one of rendaku, which I think is well
discussed here: [Rules or criteria for 連濁: Voiced or unvoiced syllables in
compound words](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/2526/rules-or-
criteria-for-%E9%80%A3%E6%BF%81-voiced-or-unvoiced-syllables-in-compound-
words)

The reason that 酒{さけ} becomes 酒{さか} in some cases is not really directly
related to rendaku（連濁）rather this is called ten'on（転音）.

Just as a short answer, some words, when part of a compound word, will have a
change in the vowel sound of the final syllable/mora.

This change seems to sometimes carry the implication of「何々 **の為の** 何々」.

> え turning into あ:

  * 酒{さけ}の場{ば} ⇒ 酒場{さかば} 
  * 手{て}の綱{つな} ⇒ 手綱{たづな}
  * 雨{あめ}の戸{と} ⇒ 雨戸{あまど}

> い turning into う

  * 神{かみ}の主{ぬし} ⇒ 神主{かむぬし} ⇒ 神主{かんぬし}
  * 口{くち}の輪{わ} ⇒ 轡{くつわ}

> い turning into お

  * 木の陰 木陰

You can see other examples here:
<http://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q12109076097>

The best Japanese reference I can find that really concisely outlines what's
going on with さけ・ざけ・さか・ざか is this one here:
[http://www.nihongokyoshi.co.jp/manbow/manbow.php?id=845&TAB=2](http://www.nihongokyoshi.co.jp/manbow/manbow.php?id=845&TAB=2)




The difference between さか and ざか is just one of rendaku, which I think is well
discussed here: [Rules or criteria for 連濁: Voiced or unvoiced syllables in
compound words](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/2526/rules-or-
criteria-for-%E9%80%A3%E6%BF%81-voiced-or-unvoiced-syllables-in-compound-
words)

The reason that 酒{さけ} becomes 酒{さか} in some cases is not really directly
related to rendaku（連濁）rather this is called ten'on（転音）.

Just as a short answer, some words, when part of a compound word, will have a
change in the vowel sound of the final syllable/mora.

This change seems to sometimes carry the implication of「何々 **の為の** 何々」.

> え turning into あ:

  * 酒{さけ}の場{ば} ⇒ 酒場{さかば} 
  * 手{て}の綱{つな} ⇒ 手綱{たづな}
  * 雨{あめ}の戸{と} ⇒ 雨戸{あまど}

> い turning into う

  * 神{かみ}の主{ぬし} ⇒ 神主{かむぬし} ⇒ 神主{かんぬし}
  * 口{くち}の輪{わ} ⇒ 轡{くつわ}

> い turning into お

  * 木の陰 木陰

You can see other examples here:
<http://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q12109076097>

The best Japanese reference I can find that really concisely outlines what's
going on with さけ・ざけ・さか・ざか is this one here:
[http://www.nihongokyoshi.co.jp/manbow/manbow.php?id=845&TAB=2](http://www.nihongokyoshi.co.jp/manbow/manbow.php?id=845&TAB=2)

