Hard sounds
The sounds English lacks, and how to make them.
Most pinyin letters sound roughly as in English. These are the ones that take practice.
Three rows of hissing sounds
Mandarin has three rows that all sound like j, ch and sh to English ears. What tells them apart is where the tongue is.
| Row | Tongue | Lips | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| j q x | flat, its blade against the front of the palate | spread, as if smiling | 鸡 jī, 七 qī, 西 xī |
| zh ch sh | tip curled up and back | relaxed or slightly rounded | 知 zhī, 吃 chī, 诗 shī |
| z c s | tip against the back of the top teeth | relaxed | 字 zì, 次 cì, 四 sì |
j, q and x come only before an ee or ü sound, and the other two rows never do: their i is the buzzed i. So xi "shee" and shi, with the tongue curled back, never clash in writing, only in your mouth.
- xièxiethank you
- shìto be
- sìfour
ü
Say ee, and without moving your tongue round your lips as for oo. It is the u of French "tu" or the ü of German "über". English speakers often say "yoo" instead; keep the tongue high and forward.
- qùto go
- nǚwoman
e
Alone or after a consonant, e is an "uh" said further back, with the lips spread and not rounded: 饿 è "hungry", 喝 hē "drink", 车 chē "car". In ie, üe and ei it is like the e of bed or the ay of day.
r
Mandarin r is said with the tongue curled back like sh, but voiced, close to the s of "measure" or the r of "run" without rounding the lips: 人 rén, 热 rè. It is never rolled.
Final n and ng
-n is a short n with the tongue tip touching behind the teeth; -ng is the ng of sing, with the tongue tip down. They make different words: 银 yín "silver" against 赢 yíng "win", 山 shān "mountain" against 上 shàng "up".
The r ending
In the north, and in Beijing especially, many words end in a curled r written 儿: 哪儿 nǎr "where", 这儿 zhèr "here", 一点儿 yìdiǎnr "a little", 玩儿 wánr "play". The r replaces a final n or i: 玩儿 is said "wár". Southern speakers and Taiwan mostly say 哪里 nǎlǐ and 这里 zhèlǐ instead.
Cards from this guide
8 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Getting started cards.
What do the lips do for j, q and x?
They spread, as if smiling, with the tongue flat against the palate.
What sounds can follow j, q and x?
Only an ee or ü sound: ji, qia, xue, but never "xa".
How is ü said?
Say ee, then round your lips without moving your tongue.
How is e said in 喝 (hē, drink)?
As an uh from the back of the mouth, lips spread.
Is Mandarin r rolled?
No: it's said with the tongue curled back, like a voiced sh, close to the s in "measure".
What is the r ending in 哪儿 (nǎr)?
A curled r, written 儿, that northern speakers add to many words.
How do shān (山) and shàng (上) differ in their ending?
shān ends in -n, tongue tip behind the teeth; shàng ends in -ng, as in sing.
How is e said in 姐姐 (jiějie)?
Like the e of "bed".