Basics · Chapter 2Pinyin: reading Chinese syllables
Pinyin spells Chinese syllables with Latin letters. Syllable = initial consonant + final + tone. Tap the syllables — they are recordings of a native speaker.
Initials
Most are close to English sounds. The key is the aspirated pairs b/p, d/t, g/k: p, t, k come with a strong puff of air (hold your palm in front of your mouth — you should feel it), b, d, g without it.
j, q, x are soft, with the tongue tip behind the lower teeth — like “jee”, “chee”, “shee” with a smile:
zh, ch, sh, r are retroflex — curl the tongue tip back:
z, c, s — “dz”, “ts” (with a puff), “s”:
Finals
Simple finals: a, o, e, i, u, ü. e sounds like the “uh” in “the” sliding back, ü is “ee” with rounded lips (German ü).
Compound finals: ai, ei, ao, ou, an, en, ang, eng, ong and the ones starting with i/u/ü: ia, ie, iao, iu, ian, in, iang, ing, ua, uo, uai, ui, uan, un, uang, üe, üan, ün.
Spelling rules
- A syllable starting with i, u, ü is written with y, w, yu: i → yi, u → wu, ü → yu, ian → yan, uo → wo.
- After j, q, x, y the dots of ü are dropped: ju, qu, xu, yu — it is still ü.
- Short forms: iu = iou, ui = uei, un = uen.
- The tone mark goes on a, else o or e; in iu and ui on the second letter: liù, guì.
Exercises
1. Read aloud, then check with the recording
- bā — pā
Answer
- dà — tà
Answer
- jī — zhī
Answer
- xī — shī
Answer
2. How is the syllable spelled?
- ü + 3
Answer
yǔ - i + 1
Answer
yī - x + ü + 2
Answer
xú - l + iou + 4
Answer
liù
Phrase audio — Microsoft speech synthesis (voices Xiaoxiao, Yunyang, Yunxi); syllables and some words — native recordings (audio-cmn, CC BY-SA).