FUN WITH CHINESE

By: Hans van den Boogert, DSWCI 3029  

Pronunciation
Initials
Finals

Pronunciation

Now that we learned about the four different tones, it is time to learn something more about the correct pronunciation of Chinese according to the Pinyin system. Pinyin is based on the phonics of the English language, with some strange exeptions. The letter x is not pronounced like an English x, but rather like a........?? Fill in the blank yourself. So although Pinyin is a good system for the romanization of Chinese, it is still nothing more than a code-system.

Chinese has some very specific sounds, you will not easily find in English or most other languages. You will have to find your own interpretation of Pinyin, depending on your language, and adapt it to Chinese. But there are some guidelines and I will give them here for English.
 

INITIALS

• The letters b, d, f, g, j, k, l, m, n, p, s, t, w and y are pronounced roughly the same as in English. (WAV 109 kb)
• Ch and sh are as in English, but curl your tongue up a little to the roof of your mouth. (WAV 19 kb)
• The h is almost pronounced as a Dutch "g", so very rough and in the back of the throat. (WAV 8 kb)
• The c is pronounced ts as in "cats". (WAV 9 kb)
• Q sounds like the ch in "cheese". (WAV 6 kb)
• The x sounds like sh as in "banshee". (WAV 7 kb)
• The z sounds like ds as in "cards". (WAV 6 kb)
• Zh is pronounced like dg in "fudge". (WAV 7 kb)

FINALS

• a =  ah ; ai = aye ; an = ahn ; ang = ahng ; ao = ah-ow; ar = are. (WAV 45 kb)
• e =  eh or uh; ei = eigh ; en = en ; eng = ung ; er = cross between ar and er. (WAV 35 kb)
• i  =  ee, but after c, ch, r, s, sh, z and zh it is silent ; ia = ee-ah; ian = ee-en ; iang = ee-ahng ; iao = ee-ow ; ie = ee-eh ; in = een  ; ing = ing ; iong = ee-ong ; iu = ee-oow. (WAV 79 kb)
• o = o as in or ; ong = ong ; ou = oh. (WAV 21 kb)
• ü= u (as in the French word tu) ; u = oo ; ua = wa ; uai = why ; uan = wahn ; uang = wahng ; ue = weh ; ui = way ; un = won ; uo = wo. (WAV 74 kb)

Important is that you pronounce the initials and finals separately, but quickly after another. Here some examples:

- Hua comes out like "h..wa." (WAV 17kb)
- Lu is "L..u with the u sounding like "oo." (WAV 17kb)
- Yang is "y-ang" with ang pronounced in the throat. (WAV 20kb) 

Of course, these are only guidelines and you will have to make the effort of listening, comparing and adapting the sounds yourself.

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