The spelling "kise" may seem unusual, but it follows the English language rule of "i before e, except after c." The IPA phonetic transcription for "kise" is /kaɪz/. The "i" and "e" are pronounced as a diphthong, "ai," which is common in many English words such as "bride" and "tide." The "s" at the end is pronounced with a voiceless hiss, and the word is often used to refer to a type of fish in Japanese cuisine.