Office for Mac Issues

How to Correct Incorrect Japanese Ruby Text in Word on Mac

Maira Mehtab Sep 20, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to fix incorrect pronunciation assignments when using the Japanese Phonetic Guide in Microsoft Word for Mac, and requires a workaround for the lack of per-kanji editing controls.

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: Mac
Scenario: Applying furigana (ruby text) to Japanese characters using the Phonetic Guide tool in a Word document.
Observed behavior: Word incorrectly assigns ruby text to partial kanji selections (e.g., treating a fragment as a different word), and the Mac version lacks the detailed per-kanji editing options found on Windows.

Before you start

Ensure your Mac system language settings include Japanese and that you have enabled East Asian layout features within your Microsoft Word preferences.

Solution 1Recommended

Select the Complete Word for Accurate Pronunciation

Selecting the entire word allows Word's built-in dictionary to correctly identify the context and assign the intended ruby text.

In Japanese, pronunciations change depending on the word structure and historical sound changes. For example, the characters 有難 are pronounced ありがた (arigata) when part of 有難い, but the full word 有難う is pronounced ありがとう (arigatou). Highlighting partial words will result in incorrect phonetic assignments.

Identify the target word

Locate the Japanese text in your document that requires furigana (ruby text).

Highlight the entire word

Use your cursor to select the complete word, including any trailing hiragana (okurigana). For instance, select '有難う' instead of just '有難'.

Apply the Phonetic Guide

Navigate to the Home tab and click the 'Phonetic Guide' button (the icon displaying 'abc' above a character). Word will now generate the correct pronunciation based on the full word's context.

Pro Tip: Always include okurigana (accompanying kana) in your selection to guarantee the most accurate phonetic readings from the dictionary.

Solution 2

Change Application Language Settings

Switching the Word application language to Japanese may expose additional ruby-text editing controls that are hidden in the default English interface.

Solution 3

Report Per-Kanji Editing Limitations as Feedback

Since Microsoft Word for Mac natively lacks some of the per-kanji editing features found on Windows, reporting this limitation can help prioritize future updates.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word assign the pronunciation 'ありがた' to '有難' instead of 'ありがとう'?

The characters '有難' act as the stem for the word '有難い' (arigatai). To get the pronunciation 'ありがとう' (arigatou), you must select the full word '有難う', including the trailing 'う', before using the Phonetic Guide.

Can I edit ruby text character-by-character on Word for Mac?

Word for Mac natively has limitations regarding per-kanji ruby text editing compared to its Windows counterpart. Changing the application's language to Japanese may expose some additional manual adjustments.

Where is the Phonetic Guide button located in Word for Mac?

The Phonetic Guide button is located in the 'Home' tab of the ribbon. It is represented by an icon showing the letters 'abc' above a larger Asian character.

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