cPronunciation of Initials

The initials can be divided into three types:

Normal: These are pronounced like in English.
Aspirated: Pronounced like y in English, but are said with a strong puff of air at the end of the
consonant.
Pronunciation Pattern: These initials don't directly correspond to any English letters or sounds.
They use a pronunciation rule that has to be memorized. The initials that follow this
pattern are shown as red in the left column.
Initial How They Sound Pronunciation Notes

b Like the p is spy, not the b in bye Corresponds closer to the sounds of a p

p Like the p in pun Aspirated

m Like the m in man

f Like the f in for

d Like the d in den

t Like the t in tongue Aspirated

n Like the n in no

l Like the l in letter

g Like the k is sky, not the g in good More like a soft unaspirated k

k Like the k in kite Aspirated

h Like the h in hot

j Like the j in jeans Sounds like gee, but unaspirated

q like the ch in the word reach

x Like the sh in she Said like a slightly longer she

z Like the ds in buds

c Like the ts in cats Aspirated

s Like s in the word sun

zh Like the G in German

Said with your tongue pulled slightly back
ch Like the zh above, but aspirated into your mouth. The sound is made from
the back of your tongue tip (it takes a bit
sh Like the sh in shoe of getting used to). These are sometimes
called the "retroflex initials".
r Like the r in run
Pronunciation of Finals
Together with the 21 initials to there are also 36 finals. Combining the two makes a Pinyin syllable.
Syllable = initial (consonant) + final (vowel) + tone (of your voice)

Finals

i u ü

a ia ua

o uo

e ie üe

er

ai uai

ei uei

ao iao

ou iou

an ian uan üan

en in uen ün

ang iang uang

eng ing ueng

ong iong

Practically, the finals can be divided up in the following way:

6 single vowel Finals
14 compound vowel Finals
16 nasal Finals
16 nasal Finals
Click Here to Listen to the Audio

Finals How They Sound Pronunciation Hints and Tips

a Like the a in father

o Like the ou in four

e Like the ir in bird

i Like the ee in see

u Like the oo in moon

Like the "ee" in i and push your lips

ü No direct English comparison
forward

er Sounds like ehrr

ai Like the y in my

ei Like the a in able

ao Like the ou in out

ou Like the o in go

The sounds of i and a said

ia No direct English comparison together. i is short and shallow,
the a is long and deep

ie Sounds like the expression...yyeah

The sounds of u and a said

ua Like the whaaa in what together. u is short and shallow,
the a is long and deep

The sounds of u and o said

uo Sounds like whaahh together. u is short and shallow,
the o is long and deep

The sounds of ü and ê said

üe Sounds like youehh together. ê is short and shallow,
the o is long and deep
 The sounds of i and au said
iao Sounds like yeowww together. i is short and shallow,
the a and u are long and deep

iou Sounds like yaow

u and ui said together. u and i are

uai Sounds like whyy short and soft, the middle a is loud
and clear

u and ei said together. u and i are

uei Sounds like weigh short and soft, the middle e is loud
and clear

an Like the an in ant

en Like the en in end

in Like the in in ink

ün Sounds like yuin u and en said together

ang Sounds like aahng

eng Like the ung in hung

ing Sounds like yuong

ong Like the ong in song

ian Sounds like yan

uan Sounds like a long one slight emphasis on the ooooone

üan Sounds like yuan

emphasis
uen Sounds like a long whin
the w and n like wwwhinnnn

iang Sounds like a long young young said slowly, emphasis the g

uang Sounds like whaaang

ueng Sounds like whuuung

iong Sounds like yonggg

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