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All about Chinese pinyin

The script of the Chinese language is Chinese characters. Chinese characters

are used both in reading and writing. Chinese Pinyin is a set of phonetic
symbols adopted several decades ago for indicating the pronunciation of
Chinese characters.
A syllable in Chinese usually consists of three parts: and initial, a final and

a tone. For instance, in the syllable mā妈(as in “mom”), m is the initial, ɑ is the
final and “-” over the final is the tone.

Chinese Phonetic System (Chinese Pinyin System) includes a set of

phonetic letters and relevant spelling rules which are adopted for standard
Mandarin Chinese.In Chinese Pinyin, there are altogether 21 initials:

21 intials
Initial Example Translation

bà 爸
b like "b" in "bed"
dad

pǎo 跑
p like "p" in "peach"
run

méi 没
m like "m" in "meat"
not

f fēi 飞 like "f" in "foot"

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fly

děi 得
d like "d" in "day"
should

tānɡ 汤
t like "t" in "tea"
soup

nán 难
n like "n" in "need"
difficult

lèi 累
l like "l" in "leaf"
tired

ɡāo 高
g like "g" in "get"
high

kāi 开
k like "k" in "kill"
open

hēi 黑
h like "h" in "hen"
black

jī 鸡 close to "j" in
j "jeep"(without protruding
the lips)
chicken

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qù 去 close to "ch" in
q "cheap"(without
protruding the lips)
go

xī 西
x close to "sh" in "shirt"
west

zhù 住
zh like "dr" in "drink"
live

chá 茶
ch like "ch" in "match"
tea

shū 书
sh close to "sh" in "shy"
book

rén 人
r close to "r" in "roll"
person

zì 字
z like "ds" in "words"
character

cū 粗
c like "ts" in "rats"
thick

sān 三 like "s" in "Sunday"

s

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three

7 Simple Vowel Finals

Vowel Example Translation

tā 他
ɑ like "a" in "father"
he

chē 车
e like "ir" in "dirty"
car

lǐ 里
i like "i" in "in"
inside

wǒ 我
o like "o" in "or"
I

cū 粗
u like "u" in "blue"
thick

no equivalent in
qù 去 English.like "u" in
ü "lune"(French
go pronunciation)

ěr 耳
er no equivalent in English
ear

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13 Complex Vowel Finals

Vowel Example Translation

kāi 开
ɑi like "y" in "by"
open

pǎo 跑
ɑo like "ow" in "cow"
run

fēi 飞
ei like "ei" in "eight"
fly

yā 鸭 jiā 家
iɑ like "yar" in "yard"
duck home

yě 也 xiè 谢
ie like "ye" in "yes"
also thank

yōu 优 qiú 球
iou like "you"
excellent ball

yào 要 piào 票 like "i" in "in" plus "ow" in

iɑo "cow"
want ticket

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tóu 头
ou like "oa" in "coat"
head

wā 蛙 huā 花
uɑ like "wa" in "waft"
frog flower

wèi 卫 tuī 推
uei like "way"
defend push

wǒ 我 duō 多
uo like "war"
I many

wāi 歪 kuài 快
uɑi like "why"
slanting fast

no equivalent in English,
yuē 约 xué 学 like "u" in "lune"(French
üe pronunciation) plus "e"
about learn in "pet"

16 Nasal Finals
Vowel Example Translation

kàn 看
ɑn like "an" in "land"
look

no equivalent in English,
tānɡ汤 like "an" in
ɑng "ancient"(French
soup pronunciation)

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rén 人
en like "en" in "stolen"
person

lěnɡ 冷 like "en" in "stolen" plus

eng "ng" in "long"
cold

dōnɡ 东 like "or" in "worn" plus

ong "ng" in "long"
east

yīn 因 xīn 新
in like "in"
because new

yīnɡ 英 xínɡ 行
ing like "ing" in "spring"
hero OK

yān 烟 tiān 天
iɑn like "yen"
smoke day

yānɡ 央 xiǎnɡ 想
iɑng like "young"
center think

yǒnɡ 勇 xiónɡ 熊 like "i" in "bin" plus "ong"

iong in "long"
brave bear

wān 弯 ɡuān 关 like "wan" in "swan"

uɑn

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bend close

no equivalent in English,
wánɡ 王 huánɡ 黄 like "u" in "flute" plus
uɑng "an" in "ancient"(French
king yellow pronunciation)

wēn 温 cún 存 like "u" in "flute" plus

uen "en" in "stolen"
warm deposit

wēnɡ 嗡 like "u" in "flute" plus

ueng "ng" in "long"
buzz

no equivalent in English,
yuǎn 远 xuán 玄 like "u" in "lune"(French
üɑn pronunciation) plus "an"
far profound in "land"

no equivalent in English,
yún 云 qún 裙 like "u" in "lune"(French
ün pronunciation) plus "n"
cloud skirt in "stolen"

汉语有 4 种基本声调

名称 第一声 第二声 第三声 第四声

形式 “—” “/ ” “v ” “\”

举例 mā 妈 xínɡ 行 yuǎn 远 piào 票

4 Tones

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Name 1st Tone 2ed Tone 3rd Tone 4th Tone

Form “—” “/ ” “v ” “\”

Example mom OK far ticket

A tonemark should be placed over the main vowel. When the vowel i is
marked with a tonemark, the dot over it should be omitted.

Finals beginning with

Finals beginning with i, u, or ü.

① When finals beginning with i orü have no initials preceding them, the

quasi-initial y should be added; or i or u should be changed into y and the

dots of ü should be omitted. For example,yīn 因(because), yī衣(cloths), yū

n 晕(dizzy) and yú鱼(fish).

② When finals beginning with u have no initials preceding them, the

quasi-initial w should be added or u should be changed into w. For

example, wàn 万(ten thousand) and wū乌(dark).

③ When the initials j, q or x precede a final beginning with ü, the two dots

of ü should be omitted. For example, jù句(sentence),qù去(go), and xù叙

(narrate).

Tone changes:
① When a 3rd tone is followed by another 3rd tone, the first 3rd tone should be

pronounced as a 2nd tone. For example, nǐhǎo 你好(hello) is pronounced

as níhǎo.

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② When bù不(not) and yī一(one) are followed by other characters with a 1st,
2nd, or 3rd tone, 一 should be pronounced as a 4th tone; when preceding
characters with a 4th tone, 不 and 一 should be pronounced as a 2nd tone. For

example, bùkuài 不快(upset) is pronounced as búkuài, yībiān 一边

(at the same time) pronounced as yìbiān, yīpánɡ一旁(one side)

pronounced asyìpánɡ, yīdiǎnr 一点儿(a few/little) pronounced

asyìdiǎnr, yīɡònɡ一共(altogether) pronounced as yíɡònɡ.

The retroflex ending r. As Beijing phonetics has been adopted as the standard
pronunciation of Mandarin Chinese, there are many retroflex syllables. The
spelling of a syllable with the retroflex ending requires adding r at the end of
the original final. In terms of its function, the retroflex ending r may only
indicate slight changes in pronunciation without changing meanings, for

example wánr 玩儿(play) and wán 玩(play). In other cases, it may be used to
differentiate meanings, such as tóu 头(head) and tóur 头儿(boss).

Sound distinction symbol. When syllables beginning with ɑ, o or e go after

other syllables, pronunciation confusion might occur. In such cases, the sound

distinction symbol(') is used to distinguish the syllables, such as Tiān’ān

Mén 天安门(Tian’an Men).

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