Pinyin — Pronunciation, Tones, Tone Sandhi & Quick Hacks
Hànyǔ Pīnyīn is the standard system that writes Mandarin sounds with Latin letters. Learn a handful of rules and you’ll read menus, type Chinese, and pronounce names much more accurately.
The Five Tones (4 + Neutral)
Contours
- 1st — high & steady: mā
- 2nd — rising (like a question): má
- 3rd — low dipping: mǎ (often just “low-rise” in fast speech)
- 4th — sharp falling: mà
- Neutral — light/short: ma
Quick Practice
- mā má mǎ mà · ma
- bā bá bǎ bà · ba
- shī shí shǐ shì · shi
Clap on each syllable to keep them equally long (except neutral).
Where Does the Tone Mark Go?
- Put the tone over the main vowel in this priority: a > o > e > i > u > ü.
- Special: in iu and ui, mark the second letter → liú, duì, shuǐ.
- Use ü (umlaut) after n/l: nǚ, lǜ. After j/q/x/y, it’s written as u but pronounced ü: jūn = jün.
- Apostrophe separates syllables when the next starts with a/o/e → Xī'ān (not Xiān).
Sound Map — Initials & Finals (Quick)
Initials (consonant starts)
b p m f · d t n l · g k h · j q x · zh ch sh r · z c s · y w
- j/q/x are like “jee/chee/shee” but with the tongue very forward and lips spread.
- zh/ch/sh are retroflex (tip curled back); not the same as j/q/x.
- r is like French “j” in journal or English “zhr”.
- z/c ≈ “ds/ts”; h can sound like German “ch” in Bach.
Finals (vowel parts)
a o e · ai ei ao ou · an en ang eng · i ia ie iao iu ian iang ing iong · u ua uo uai ui uan uang un · ü üe yuan yun
- bo/po/mo/fo are pronounced with an implied uo → buo (spelled bo).
- The “i” in zhi, chi, shi, ri, zi, ci, si isn’t “ee”; it’s a syllabic sound after those initials.
Essential Tone Sandhi (Tone Changes in Flow)
- 3rd + 3rd → 2nd + 3rd: nǐ hǎo → ní hǎo. In longer chains of 3rd tones, the non-final ones rise.
- 不 (bù) becomes bú before a 4th tone: bú shì, but bù máng.
- 一 (yī) changes tone when it’s the numeral “one”:
- Before a 4th tone → yí: yí yàng
- Before 1st/2nd/3rd tones → yì: yì bān · yì qǐ · yì nǐan
Write the dictionary tone, but pronounce the sandhi in real speech.
Typing & Reading Tips
Type Chinese
- Enable a Pinyin IME (phone/PC). Type syllables without tones: nihao → 你好.
- Pick characters by context; add more letters to narrow choices (e.g., shur for 输入).
Learn with Pinyin Wisely
- Always write the tone mark when you take notes.
- Link each word to a short audio (shadow it 3×).
10-Minute Daily Drill (No Excuses)
- Tone ladder (2 min): mā má mǎ mà → bā bá bǎ bà.
- Minimal pairs (3 min): mā / má · shī / shí · qí / xí.
- Sandhi (3 min): nǐ hǎo → ní hǎo · bù + 4th → bú.
- Shadow a phrase (2 min): Nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào… · Qǐng wèn, dìtiě zhàn zài nǎr?
Common Pitfalls (Fix These Fast)
- Mixing j/q/x with zh/ch/sh — move the tongue forward for j/q/x; curl back for zh/ch/sh.
- Forgetting ü — write it after n/l (nǚ, lǜ); remember it’s hidden after j/q/x/y.
- Third tone too long — in sentences it’s often a low dip or just rising before another 3rd.
- No tone marks in notes — add them, or you’ll memorize the wrong word.
Useful Examples with Tones
- Xī'ān (city) — apostrophe separates xī + ān.
- Yǒu méiyǒu? — “Do (you) have?”
- Bú yào, xièxie. — “No thanks.” (bù → bú before 4th tone yào)
- Nǐ hǎo → Ní hǎo (in real speech).
Quick Reference (Keep on Your Phone)
Tone Order for Marks
a > o > e > i > u > ü (ui/iu → mark the 2nd)
Sandhi Cheats
3rd+3rd → 2nd+3rd · bù→bú (before 4th) · yī→yí (before 4th), yī→yì (else)
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