Introduction To Chinese Pronunciation
汉 Hàn 语 yǔ 发 fā 音 yīn 介 jiè 绍 shào

A Chinese syllable is composed of an initial,a final and a tone.

1.Simple finals:

a o e i u ü

Note

i,u andübecome yi,wu and yu if they are not preceded by any initials.

2.4 Tones:

The 4 tones are high level（ tone 1）rising（ tone 2）,falling-rising（ tone 3）and falling （ tone4）.

For example:

tang

●tone 1 汤 tāng soup

High level pitch,like humming something.

●tone 2 糖 táng sugar

Rising tone,like the intonation when you say“What?”

●tone 3 躺 tǎng to lie down

A falling-rising tone,like the intonation when you say“well,...”in a slow way.

●tone 4 烫 tàng （food）too hot

A falling tone,like an enthusiastic affirmation:“Yes!”

Some unaccented syllables are pronounced with a“light”tone.You should pronounce them in the middle of your voice range lightly and with little emphasis.

Practice

（1） 饿 è hungry

（2） 一 yī one

（3） 五 wǔ five

（4） 鱼 yú fish

（5） 雨 yǔ rain

（6） 阿 ā 姨 yí housemaid,aunt

（7） 汉 Hàn 语 yǔ Chinese language

（8） 衣 yīf 服 u cloth

3.Initials

（1）b p m f d t n l g k h

Note

When these initials are combined with o,there is actually a short u sound in between.For instance,the syllable boactually sounds like b ^u o.

When producing d,t,n,l,the tip of the tongue touches the upper teeth.The tongue is raised more to the front than it would be to pronounce their English counterparts.

Practice

① 八 bā eight

② 不 bù not

③ 你 nǐ you

④ 他 tā / 她 tā he,she

⑤ 辣 là spicy,hot

⑥ 路 lù road

⑦ 喝 hē to drink

⑧ 爸 bà 爸 bα dad

⑨ 哥 gē 哥 ge elderbrother

⑩ 哪 nǎ 里 li where

可 kě 乐 lè coke

马 mǎ 马 mǎ 虎 hū 虎 hū so so

绿 lǜ green

Compare

bo po bu pu bi pi

de te du tu di ti

ge ke gu ku ga ka

（2）j q x

j: Like“j”in“jeep”,but with the tongue just a little further forward.

q: Like“ch”in“cheap”,but with the tongue just a little further forward.

x: Like“sh”in“sheep”,but with the tongue just a little further forward.

Note

The finals that can be combined with j ， q and x are limited to i and ü and the compound finals which start with i or ü .And in the written form the two dots in ü are omitted and ü appears as u .

Practice

① 鸡 jī chicken

② 七 qī seven

③ 去 qù to go A: 你 Nǐ 去 qù 哪 nǎ 里 li ？ B: 我 Wǒ 去 qù 南 Nán 京 jīng 路 Lù. 。

④ 喜 xǐ 欢 huαn to like 我 Wǒ 喜 xǐ 欢 huαn 喝 hē 可 kě 乐 lè. 。

⑤ 洗 xǐ 衣 yī 机 jī washing machine

（3）z c s

z:A“dz”sound,like the end of“kids”.

c:A“ts”sound,like the end of“cats”.

s:Like“s”in“sit”.

Note

The final i combined with z ， c and s is pronounced differently from the simple final i that we learned before.

Practice

① 四 sì four

② 租 zū to rent

③ 醋 cù vinegar

④ 汉 Hàn 字 zì Chinese character

⑤ 厕 cè 所 suǒ toilet 厕 Cè 所 suǒ 在 zài 哪 nǎ 里 li? ？ Where's the toilet?

（4）zh ch sh r

zh: Like“ j ”in“ jeep ”,but with tip of the tongue a little further back.

ch: Like“ ch ”in“ cheap ”,but with tip of the tongue a little further back.

sh: Like“ sh ”in“ sheep ”,but with tip of the tongue a little further back.

r: Like“ r ”in“ rip ”,but with the tongue a bit higher so it buzzes ever so slightly.

Note

These initials are called“retroflex”sounds because they are all pronounced with the tongue curved back into the middle of the mouth. The final i combined with zh,ch,sh and r is pronounced differently from the simple finali we learned before.

Practice

① 十 shí ten

② 吃 chī to eat

③ 热 rè hot

④ 猪 zhū pig

⑤ 书 shū book

⑥ 汉 Hàn 语 yǔ 书 shū Chinesebook

⑦ 茶 chá tea

⑧ 热 rè 茶 chá hottea

⑨ 绿 lǜ 茶 chá green tea

⑩ 车 chē car

出 chū 租 zū 车 chē taxi

日 Rì 本 běn Japan

这 zhè 里 li here

出 chū 去 qù go out

Compare

4.Compound Finals:

（1）ai ei ao ou

Practice

① 买 mǎi to buy

② 没 méi 有 yǒu nothave

③ 菜 cài dish,food

④ 知 zhī 道 dαo to know 我 Wǒ 不 bù 知 zhī 道 dαo. 。

⑤ 老 lǎo 师 shī teacher

⑥ 要 yào to want

⑦ 路 lù 口 kǒu intersection

⑧ 咖 kā 啡 fēi coffee

⑨ 给 gěi to give

⑩ 猪 zhū 肉 ròu pork 我 Wǒ 不 bù 吃 chī 猪 zhū 肉 ròu. 。

你 Nǐ 早 zǎo! ！Goodmorning!

爱 ài love

（2）an en ang eng ong

Practice

① 三 sān three

② 人 rén person

③ 冷 lěng cold

④ 米 mǐf 饭 àn rice（cooked）

⑤ 菜 cài 单 dān menu

⑥ 汤 tāng soup

⑦ 橙 chéng 汁 zhī orangejuice

⑧ 房 fáng 子 zi house,apartment

⑨ 什 shén 么 me what

⑩ 浦 Pǔ 东 dōng 机 Jī 场 chǎng Pudong Airport

朋 péng 友 you friend 他 Tā 是 shì 我 wǒ 的 de 朋 péng 友 you. 。 He's my friend.

等 děng to wait 等 Děng 一 yì 等 děng. 。 Wait a second.

（3）ia iao ie iu ian in iang ing iong

Note

ian sounds like“ien”in English or some other European languages.

The full spelling of iu is iou.When it combines with an initial,it is written as iu.For instance,liou→liu.If not preceded by initials,it takes the full spelling form but i is written as y.Therefore iou→you.

i becomes y if not preceded by an initial: ia → ya,ie → ye,iao → yao,iu → you,ian → yan, iang → yang,in → yin,ing → ying （ i still remains in yin and ying ）.

Practice

① 六 liù six

② 九 jiǔ nine

③ 家 jiā home,family

④ 请 qǐng please

⑤ 停 tíng to stop

⑥ 小 xiǎo 姐 jiě miss,waitress

⑦ 英 Yīng 语 yǔ English

⑧ 地 dì 铁 tiě subway

⑨ 饭 fàn 店 diàn restaurant

⑩ 家 Jiā 乐 lè 福 fú Carrefour

再 Zài 见 jiàn! ！Bye!

明 Míng 天 tiān 见 jiàn! ！See you tomorrow!

谢 Xiè 谢 xie! ！Thanks.

不 Bú 用 yòng 谢 xiè. 。You are welcome.

啤 pí 酒 jiǔ beer 一 Yì 瓶 píng 啤 pí 酒 jiǔ. 。Abottle ofbeer.

酒 jiǔ 吧 bā bar

便 pián 宜 yi cheap

名 míng 字 zi name 你 Nǐ 叫 jiào 什 shén 么 me 名 míng 字 zi? ？What's your name?

听 tīng to listen 我 Wǒ 听 tīng 不 bu 懂 dǒng. 。 I don't understand.

（4）ua uo uai ui uan un uang ueng

Note

The full spelling of ui is uei and un is uen .When these finals combine with an initial,they are written as ui and un .For instance, huei → hui ， luen → lun .If they are not preceded by initials,they take the full spelling form b ut u is written as w.Therefore, uei → wei ， uen → wen .

u becomes w if not preceded by an intial: ua → wa,uai → wai,uan → wan,uang → wang, uei → wei,uen → wen,ueng → weng,uo → wo.

Practice

① 我 wǒ I,me

② 中 Zhōng 国 guó China

③ 电 diàn 话 huà telephone

④ 美 Měi 国 guó U.S.

⑤ 问 wèn to ask

⑥ 水 shuǐ water

⑦ 贵 guì expensive 太 Tài 贵 guì 了 le. 。Too expensive.

⑧ 取 qǔ 款 kuǎn 机 jī ATM

⑨ 对 Duì 不 bu 起 qǐ. 。Sorry.

⑩ 快 kuài fast 快 Kuài 一 yì 点 diǎn! ！Faster!

没 Méi 关 guān 系 xi. 。That's alright.

多 Duō 少 shǎo 钱 qián? ？How much?

左 Zuǒ 拐 guǎi. 。Turnleft.

右 Yòu 拐 guǎi. 。Turn right.

问 wèn 题 tí question 没 Méi 问 wèn 题 tí. 。No problem. 我 Wǒ 有 yǒu 一 yí 个 ge 问 wèn 题 tí. 。I have a question.

（5）üe üan ün

Note

If compound finals beginning withü don't combine with initials and appear as syllables,üis written as u and a y is added before it:üan→yuan,üe→yue,ün→yun.

Practice

① 大 dà 学 xué university

② 月 yuè month

③ 学 xué 生 sheng student 你 Nǐ 是 shì 学 xué 生 sheng 吗 mα？ ？Are you a student?

④ 远 yuǎn far A: 远 Yuǎn 吗 mα？ ？Is it far?B: 不 Bù 远 yuǎn. 。Not far.

⑤ 觉 jué 得 de to think

（6）er

Note

er is written as r if it appears as a retroflex syllable after other finals,e.g.， na er → nar （where）， wan er → wanr （to have fun）.

When you pronounce a retroflex syllable after other final,do remember to ommit the nasal sound n in the final.For example, wanr is actually pronounced like war .

Practice

1 女 nǚ 儿 ér daughter 2 玩 wánr 儿 ér to play 3 二 èr two

一 yī 二 èr 三 sān 四 sì 五 wǔ 六 liù 七 qī 八 bā 九 jiǔ 十 shí

5.More on tones:

（1）Variation of Third Tone:

If a Third Tone syllable is followedby another syllable,the rising part in Third Tone drops off and is pronounced as a low-falling tone.

Practice

① 老 lǎo 师 shī

② 酒 jiǔ 吧 bā

③ 可 kě 乐 lè

④ 手 shǒu 机 jī

⑤ 美 Měi 国 guó

⑥ 喜 xǐ 欢 huαn

⑦ 米 mǐ 饭 fàn

⑧ 女 nǚ' 儿 ér

⑨ 洗 xǐ 衣 yī 机 jī

⑩ 浦 Pǔ 东 dōng

But when one Third Tone syllable is followed by another Third Tone syllable,the tone of the first Third Tone is pronounced as Second Tone.

Practice

① 马 mǎ 马 mǎ 虎 hū 虎 hū

② 你 Nǐ 早 zǎo! ！

③ 左 Zuǒ 拐 guǎi. 。

④ 小 xiǎo 姐 jiě

⑤ 你 Nǐ 好 hǎo! ！

⑥ 取 qǔ 款 kuǎn 机 jī

（2）Variation of the tones for“bu”（not）and“yi”（one）：

When bu and yi are followed by a Fourth Tone syllable,they are both pronounced and marked as Second Tone.In other cases,they are Fourth Tone.

Practice

一 yí 个 ge a（something） 我 Wǒ 不 bú 要 yào. 。

一 Yì 直 zhí 走 zǒu. 。Go straight. 他 Tā 不 bù 喝 hē 咖 kā 啡 fēi. 。

一 yì 杯 bēi 咖 kā 啡 fēi a cup ofcoffee 我 Wǒ 不 bù 喜 xǐ 欢 huαn. 。

一 yì 瓶 píng 啤 pí 酒 jiǔ abottle ofbeer 我 Wǒ 不 bù 忙 máng. 。I'm notbusy. UkRqVKwHjptzapuqakPIWL1xklTudGzaFyBJbx1cxfE7QI9HcRg2T5deoqPNMPOv