n
  | |
| Pronunciation | /n/ |
|---|---|
| Usage | 2023: Common4, Widespread6 (70% ↗︎ )2022: Common (68%) |
| Book and era | nimi ku suli (post-pu) |
| Part of speech | Particle |
| Codepoint | U+F1986 |
n is an interjection and nimi sin used to represent any filler word or humming sound, like "um", "mmm", or "hmm". It is often used to indicate being absorbed in thoughts, recognition, or agreement. n is frequently written with multiple letters (e.g. "nnn...") to indicate a drawn out sound.
Pronunciation
The word n violates Toki Pona's phonotactics. Speakers may accept this because they consider it easy to pronounce or technically not a word in the first place but an onomatopoeia. n arguably does not have to be pronounced /n/ but can stand in for any hum or nasal sound, regardless of phonotactics. Some compare the word n to the coda "n".