Consonants
|
---|
IPA |
Pinyin |
Bopomofo |
English approximation
|
---|
ɕ |
x |
ㄒ
|
she
| f |
f |
ㄈ
|
fan
| j |
y-, -i- |
ㄧ
|
you
| k |
g |
ㄍ
|
scan
| kʰ |
k |
ㄎ
|
can
| l |
l |
ㄌ
|
leaf
| m |
m |
ㄇ
|
moon
| n |
n-, -n |
ㄋ, ㄣ
|
noon
| ŋ |
-ng |
ㄥ
|
song
| p |
b |
ㄅ
|
span
| pʰ |
p |
ㄆ
|
pan
| ɻ |
-r |
ㄖ
|
aria (ends syllable)
| s |
s |
ㄙ
|
see
| ʂ |
sh |
ㄕ
|
sure
| t |
d |
ㄉ
|
stand
| tʰ |
t |
ㄊ
|
tan
| tɕ |
j |
ㄐ
|
itchy
| tɕʰ |
q |
ㄑ
|
cheer
| ts |
z |
ㄗ
|
cats
| tsʰ |
c |
ㄘ
|
tsunami
| tʂ |
zh |
ㄓ
|
pitcher
| tʂʰ |
ch |
ㄔ
|
church
| w |
w-, -u- |
ㄨ
|
water
| x |
h |
ㄏ
|
house or loch
| ɥ |
yu-, -ü-[1] |
ㄩ
|
(simultaneous y and w)
| ʐ |
r- |
ㄖ
|
Zsa Zsa (starts syllable)
|
|
Vowels
|
---|
IPA |
Pinyin |
Bopomofo |
English approximation
|
---|
a |
a (a, an) |
ㄚ, ㄢ
|
Somewhat like car
| aɪ |
ai |
ㄞ
|
time
| ɑ |
a (ang), e (er) |
ㄤ, ㄦ
|
car
| ɑʊ |
ao |
ㄠ
|
how
| eɪ |
ei[2] |
ㄟ
|
hey
| ɛ |
e (ye), a (yan, yuan) |
ㄝ,ㄧㄢ , ㄩㄢ
|
yes
| œ |
e (yue) |
ㄩㄝ
|
No English equivalent; Rounded [ɛ]
| ə |
e (en[2], eng) |
ㄣ, ㄥ
|
about
| ɤ |
e |
ㄜ
|
Somewhat like hood
| i |
yi/-i (yi, yin, ying) |
ㄧ
|
see
| ɨ
|
i (si, zi, ci, shi, zhi, chi, ri) (buzzing)[3] |
ㄭ
| oʊ |
ou[2] |
ㄡ
|
hoe
| ɔ |
o (wo[4]) |
ㄛ
|
war
| u |
wu/-u |
ㄨ
|
woo
| ʊ |
o (ong) |
ㄨㄥ
|
hood
| y |
yu/-ü[1] (yu, yun) |
ㄩ
|
Somewhat like cute
| Nasal[5] |
---|
ɑ̃
|
ang (angr) |
|
No English equivalent; nasal [ɑ]
| ə̃
|
eng (engr) |
|
No English equivalent; nasal [ə]
| ʊ̃
|
ong (ongr) |
|
No English equivalent. Nasal [ʊ]
|
IPA
|
Pinyin
|
Description
|
---|
Tones
|
---|
ǎ ɤ̌
|
á, é
|
mid rising: ˧˥
| â ɤ̂
|
à, è
|
high falling: ˥˩
| á ɤ́
|
ā, ē
|
high: ˥
| à, ɤ̀
|
ǎ, ě
|
medially, low: ˩ initially, mid falling: ˧˩ finally, low rising: ˩˧ in isolation, dipping: ˧˩˧
| a, ɤ
|
a, e
|
"toneless": low after a falling tone [â]; mid after all other tones
|
|