Initials

A syllable in Chinese is composed of an initial, which is a consonant that begins the syllable, and a final, wich covers the rest of the syllable. b d g j z zh p t k q c ch m n h x s sh r f l

y y

m, f, n, l, h and sh are pronounced as in English. d like "d" in "bed" (unaspirated) j like "g" in "genius" (unaspirated) z like "ds" in "beds" zh like "j" in "job" b like "p" in "spin" (unaspirated) g a soft unaspirated "k" sound x like "sh" in "sheep" but with the corners of the lips drawn back r somewhat like "r" in "rain" Particular attention should be paid to the pronunciation of the so-called "aspirated" consonants. It is necessary to breath heavily after the consonant is pronounced. p like "p" in "pope" t like "t" in "tap" k like "k" in "kangaroo" q harder than "ch" in "cheap" c like "ts" in "cats" ch (tongue curled back, aspirated) Distinction between certain initials: b / p d / t g / k j / q z / c zh / ch

Finals
In modern Chinese, there are 38 finals besides the above-represented 21 initials. i a o e er ai ei ao ou an en ang eng ong
y y y y y y y y y

u ua uo

ia

ie

uai uei (ui) iao iou (iu) ian in iang ieng iong uan uen (un) uang ueng an en

ie like "ye" in "yes" e like "e" in "her" er like "er" in "sister" (american pronounciation) ai like "y" in "by" (light) ei like "ay" in "bay" ou like "o" in "go" an like "an" in "can" (without stressing the "n") -ng (final) a nasalized soung like the "ng" in "bang" without pronouncing the "g" uei, uen and iou when preceded by an initial, are written as ui, un and iu respectivly.

Tones
Mandarin Chinese has four pitched tones and a "toneless" tone. Tone 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Mark Description d d d d High and level Starts medium in tone, then rises to the top Starts low, dips to the bottom, then rises toward the top Starts at the top, then falls sharp and strong to the bottom Flat, with no emphasis

Neutral da

Tones Changes
A 3rd tone, when immediatlely followed by another 3rd tone, should pe pronounced in the 2nd tone. N h o = N h o

Conversation
-N h o ! n h o n h o! zi jin - Zi jin ! zijin! (pro) You (adj) good, well Hello, How are you? (adv) again (v) see Goodbye!

Calligraphy exercises
4 first chinese characters : et . Learn the stroke order. Click on the picture to get more information about the character. Learn Chinese Characters

( n ) : you

pinyin

strokes meaning dictionary

7 n : (pronoun) you

Stroke order

Etymology

The right part Radical

( r) of this character is the old form for " you ".

(person) and Frequently-used words or phrases n h o n men hello / how are you you (plural)

Character Learn Chinese Characters Learn the chinese character ( jin - xin ) : see. Writing, calligraphy, stroke order, history, etymology, calligraphic style, expressions. Learn Chinese Characters

pinyin traditional strokes meaning dictionary

jin - xin

4 jin : to see / to meet / to appear (to be sth) / to interview xin : appear

Stroke order

Etymology

In its unsimplified form the upper part is a symbol of eye, while the lower part symbolises a man, thus forming the meaning "to see". Radical Words with the radical are often related to "view", such as (gu n - observe),

(l n - look) (ju - feel / jio - sleep) Frequently-used words or phrases hu jin jin ji jin min jin shi jin wn jin xio jin zhng jin gui ji jin zi jin to meet with (someone who is paying a visit) opinion / view / understanding meet / see (someone) (n.) knowledge and experience / increase one's knowledge what one sees and hears / knowledge / information (v.) (medicine, advice) have the desired effect witness / testimony (v.) be blamed, taken to task receive sb. / grant an interview to good bye

Calligraphy exercises

Rules of phonetic spelling

1 zi ci si 2 zhi chi shi 3 ju jue juan jun qu que quan qun xu xue xuan xun 4 yu yue yuan yun = zcs = zh ch sh = j je jan jn = q qe qan qn = x xe xan xn = e an n

5 ya ye yao you yan yin ying yang yong

= ia ie iao iou = ian in ing iang = iong

6 wu wa wo wai = u ua uo uai wei wan wen wang = uei uan uen uang weng = ueng Anexe : Table of Pinyin Pronunciation

Sound discrimination
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 bo po de te ge ke ji qi zi ci zhi chi yin ying yan yang gen geng ba pa da ta ge ka jia qia za ca zha cha lin ling gan gang men meng bi pi di ti gu ku jiu qiu ze ce zhe che jin jing kan kang fen feng

Anexe : Table of Pinyin Pronunciation

Tone drills
b b b b k k k k xi xi xi xi b b b b q q q q m i mi m i mi

gu n gun gu n gun x x x x du du du du ti n tin ti n tin hu hu hu hu m ng mng m ng mng y y y y xi xi xi xi

Anexe : Table of Pinyin Pronunciation

Neutral tone

In Chinese there are a number of syllabes wich are unstressed and take a feeble tone. This is known as the neutral tone wich is shown by the absence of tone-graph. m ma bba g ge ddi ji jie mimei : mum : dad : elder brother : younger brother : elder sister : younger sister iren hizi gu nxi xixie kqi xi xi : husband, wife : child, children : relation : thank you : polite : have a rest

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Retroflex final
The final "er" is sometimes attached to another final to form a retroflex final and when thus used, it is no longer an independent syllable. A retroflex final is represented by the letter "r" added to the final. hu + er -> hur di n + er -> di nr n + er -> n r zh + er -> zhr yhur ydi nr na r zhr : a moment : a little : where : there

Conversation

- Du b q !

Du b q mi gu nxi Mi gu nxi! Xixie b kqi B kqi ! mngti n jin Mngti n jin! (n)

I'm sorry! (adv) not relation That's all right Thank you ! (adv) not (adj) polite You're welcome ! (adv) tomorrow (v) see See you tomorrow! (v) (n) have a rest a moment Have a rest! (adj) good All right!

- Mi gu nxi !

- Xixie !

xi xi yhur xi xi yhur! h o h o ba

- B kqi !

- Mngti n ! jin !

- Mngti n ! jin !

- xi xi y hur !

-h o ba !

Calligraphy exercises
20 new characters. Click on the character to open its page (calligraphy, writing rules, etymology...)