| IPA |
Yale |
Jyutping |
Chinese |
English approximation
|
|---|
| Consonants
|
|---|
| f
|
f
|
風
|
fan
| | h
|
h
|
客
|
house
| | j
|
y |
j
|
月
|
you
| | k
|
g-, -k
|
角
|
scan
| | kʰ
|
k
|
卡
|
can
| | kʷ
|
gw
|
郭
|
squeak
| | kʷʰ
|
kw
|
規
|
quick
| | l
|
l
|
落
|
leaf
| | m
|
m
|
莫
|
moon
| | m̩
|
m
|
唔
|
mm
| | n
|
n
|
男
|
noon
| | ŋ
|
ng
|
疼
|
song
| | ŋ̍
|
ng
|
我
|
(syllabic ng)
| | p
|
b-, -p
|
班
|
span
| | pʰ
|
p
|
拍
|
pan
| | s
|
s
|
水
|
saw
| | ɕ
|
先
|
she (before i, yu)
| | t
|
d-, -t
|
達
|
stand
| | tʰ
|
t
|
拖
|
tan
| | ts
|
j |
z
|
雀
|
cats
| | tɕ
|
之
|
beach (before i, yu)
| | tsʰ
|
ch |
c
|
桌
|
tsunami
| | tɕʰ
|
淺
|
cheap (before i, yu)
| | w
|
w
|
活
|
water
| | ʔ
|
(before a, e, o)
|
|
oh-oh!
|
All of these consonants may begin a syllable,
though some speakers do not have [n, ŋ].[1]
In addition, [p t k m n (ŋ)] may end one.[2]
|
| IPA
|
Yale |
Jyutping |
Chinese |
English approximation
|
|---|
| Vowels
|
|---|
| aː
|
aa, -a |
aa
|
牙
|
father
| | aːi
|
aai
|
界
|
time
| | aːu
|
aau
|
交
|
how
| | ɐ
|
a
|
甩
|
cut
| | ɐi
|
ai
|
梯
|
kite
| | ɐu
|
au
|
勾
|
house (Canadian)
| | ei
|
ei
|
悲
|
hey
| | ɛː
|
e
|
些
|
yes
| | ɛːu
|
— |
eu
|
|
Spanish eu
| | ɪ
|
i
|
色
|
sing, sick
| | iː
|
思
|
see
| | iːu
|
iu
|
橋
|
eww!
| | ou
|
ou
|
好
|
hoe
| | ɔː
|
o
|
婆
|
war
| | ɔːi
|
oi
|
海
|
boy
| | œː
|
eu |
oe
|
靴
|
German öh, French eu
| | ɵ
|
eo
|
|
German ö, French eu
| | ɵy
|
eui |
eoi
|
去
|
F. euille, ≈ G. eu
| | ʊ
|
u
|
福
|
look
| | uː
|
烏
|
food
| | uːi
|
ui
|
雷
|
phooey
| | yː
|
yu
|
於
|
German ü, French u
|
| IPA
|
Yale |
Jyutping |
Chinese |
Description
|
|---|
| Tones
|
|---|
| sí
|
sī |
1[3] |
思
|
high level: si˥
| | sî
|
sì
|
|
high falling: si˥˧
| | sǐ
|
sí |
2
|
史
|
mid rising: si˨˥
| | sī
|
si |
3
|
試
|
mid level: si˧
| | si̭
|
sìh |
4
|
時
|
low falling: si˨˩ or very low: si˩
| | si̬
|
síh |
5
|
市
|
low rising: si˨˧
| | sì
|
sih |
6
|
是
|
low level: si˨
| | sík
|
sīk |
1
|
色
|
high checked: sik˥
| | sīk
|
sik |
3
|
舌
|
mid checked: sik˧
| | sìk
|
sihk |
6
|
食
|
low checked: sik˨
|
|
