PINYIN

EXPLANATION

EXAMPLES

b

'b' as in boy

bau3 = to wrap

p

'p' as in pony

pau3 = to run

m

'm' as in map

mi3 = rice

f

'f' as in funny

fu4 = father

d

'd' as in dog

dan4 = egg

t

't' as in today

tan2 = to talk

n

'n' as in nut

ni3 = you

l

'l' as in lucky

li3 = mile or kilometer

g

'g' as in girl

gou3 = dog

k

'k' as in kite

kao3 = to bake

h

'h' as in house

he = to drink

j

'j' as in jam

ji = chicken

q

'ch' as in cheese

qi2 = strange

x

'sh' as in sheep

xi3 = to wash

z

'ds' as in words

zao3 = early

c

'ts' as in pots

can = meal, dish (of food)

s

's' as in soup

sui4 = age

zh

'g' as in pigeon

zhao3 = to look for

ch

'tch' as in batch

cha2 = tea

sh

'sh' as in shoe

shao3 = few, little

r

a 'softer' 'r' than in run

ren2 = person, people

y

'y' as in yes

note: When 'y' precedes certain sounds, it is not pronounced. Examples are yu3 (fish) and ying4 (hard).

you3 = to have

w

'w' as in water

wo3 = I, me

a

'a' as in mama

ta = him, her, it

o

'o' as in for

po4 = broken

e

'u' as in but

ke3 = can, may

i

'ee' as in feet

ni3 = you

u

'oo' as in foot

mu3 = mother

ü

Like the German umlaut. This sound is often printed as 'u'. It can be differentiated by the other 'u' by the surrounding consonants.

¡@

yu2 = fish

er

similar to 'ar' in tar

er2 = two

ai

'uy' as in buy

mai4 = sell

ei

'ay' as in day

fei = fly

ao

'ow' as in bow

yao4 = want

ou

'ow' as in mow

you3 = friend

an

'on' as in Don

an = peaceful

en

'on' as in onion

pen = to spray

ang

A combination of 'ah' like the doctor asks you to say, and 'ng' as in song.

mang2 = busy

eng

'ung' as in sung

meng4 = a dream

ia

'ee' as in feet + 'a' as in mama

jia = home

ie

as in yea

jie3 = older sister

iao

'eow' as in meow

jiao3 = foot

iu

'yo' as in when Sylvester Stallone says "Yo!"

jiu3 = for a long time

ian

'ee' as in feet + 'in' as in tin

xian = first

in

'een' as in teen

xin = new

ing

'eing' as in being

ying4 = hard

ong

'ong' as in song

song4 = to deliver