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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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