Chinese for Life
Phonetic System (Hanyu Pinyin)
INITIAL (Consonant)
Labial Sounds:
b
p
m
f
Dental Sounds:
d
t
n
l
Guttural Sounds:
g
k
h
Palatal Sounds:
j
q
x
Retroflex Sounds:
zh
ch
sh
r
Dental Sibilant Sounds:
z
c
s
FINAL (Vowel)
Simple Finals:
a
o
e
ê
-i
-u
-ü
yi
wu
yu
The special finals of i, u, and ü need to be written as yi, wu and yu respectively when used individually.
Compound Finals:
ai
ei
ao
ou
Nasal Finals:
an
en
ang
eng
Retroflex Final:
er
Special Finals:
-i
-u
-ü
yi
wu
yu
The special finals of i, u, and ü need to be written as yi, wu and yu respectively when used individually.
Group i Finals:
-ia
-ie
-iao
-iu
-ian
-in
-iang
-ing
ya
ye
yao
you
yan
yin
yang
ying
The second line is used when no initials go before the group of i.
Group u Finals:
-ua
-uo
-uai
-ui
-uan
-un
-uang
-ong
wa
wo
wai
wei
wan
wen
wang
weng
The second line is used when no initials go before the group of u.
Group ü Finals:
-üe
-uan
-un
-iong
yue
yuan
yun
yong
The second line is used when no initials go before the group of ü.