Which phoneme is the bilabial nasal?

• A. /m/
• B. /n/
• C. /ŋ/
• D. /p/

Answer: (A)

When you hear “nasal” and “bilabial,” you’re looking for a sound made with the lips together and air flowing through the nose. The lip contact creates the bilabial place of articulation, and the lowered velum lets air escape via the nasal cavity, while the vocal cords vibrate for a voiced sound. That combination corresponds to /m/: both lips come together, air goes through the nose, and the voice is voiced.

The other options don’t fit: /n/ is an alveolar nasal (tongue at the alveolar ridge); /ŋ/ is a velar nasal (tongue against the soft palate); /p/ is a bilabial stop (lips come together but air is fully blocked and released orally, not nasally).