Break Through Chinese Pronunciation Part 1 www.fluentinmandarin.com
yū Dark blue is 1st tone yú Orange is 2nd tone yǔ Dark green is 3rd tone yù Red is 4th tone yu Silver is unstressed
Bo 广播 guǎngbō broadcast
Po 老婆 lǎopo Wife
Mo 触摸 chùmō touch
Fo 佛教 fójiào Buddhism
Wo 我我爱你 wǒ I wǒ ài nǐ I love you
Duo 多少 duōshǎo how much/many
Luo 骆驼 luòtuo camel
Nuo 承诺 chéngnuò promise
Guo 中国 zhōngguó China
Kuo 包括 bāokuò including
Huo 火 车 huǒchē train
Zuo 工作 gōngzuò work
Cuo 错 cuò wrong
Suo 所以 suǒyǐ therefore, so
Zhuo 桌 子 zhuōzi table
Shuo 说 shuō say
Ruo 弱 ruò weak
Break Through Chinese Pronunciation Part 2 www.fluentinmandarin.com
Duo vs Dou
Dou 豆腐 dòufu Tofu
Tou 头疼 tóu téng headache
Mou 某 一个 mǒu yīgè a certain one
Fou 是否 shìfǒu whether or not
Gou 沟通 gōutōng communicate
You 朋友 péngyou friend
Rou 肉 ròu meat
Ou 欧洲 ōuzhōu Europe
Break Through Chinese Pronunciation Part 3 www.fluentinmandarin.com
饿 è hungry. 你饿吗? nǐ è ma? Are you hungry?
Me 什么? shénme? what?
De 德国 déguó Germany
Te 特别 tèbié special
Ne 你呢? nǐ ne? What about you?
Le 吃了吗? chī le ma? Have you eaten?
Ge 一个苹果 yī gè píngguǒ An apple
Ke 可以 kěyǐ Can (it is allowed)
He 喝啤酒 hē píjiǔ Drink beer
Ze 毛泽东 Máo zédōng Mao Tse-tung
Ce 政策 zhèngcè Policy
Se 颜 色 yánsè Colour
Zhe 这个 zhège This
Che 车 chē Car
She 蛇 shé Snake
Re 今天很热 jīntiān hěn rè Today it s very hot
Break Through Chinese Pronunciation Part 4 www.fluentinmandarin.com
Ben 笨 一本书 bèn stupid yī běn shū a book
Pen 喷泉 pēn quán fountain
Fen 粉 色分数 fěnsè pink fēnshù score
Nen 嫩 nèn tender/delicate
Men 门我们 mén door wǒmen we
Hen 很 hěn very
Gen 跟我 一起 gēn wǒ yīqǐ with me
Zhen 真的 zhēnde real
Break Through Chinese Pronunciation Part 5 www.fluentinmandarin.com
-ang vs -eng Bang, Beng
Pang 胖我很胖 pàng wǒ hěn pàng fat I am very fat
Peng 朋友 péngyou friend
Fang 地 方 dìfāng place
Feng 风 fēng wind
Tang 糖 táng sugar
Teng 疼 téng painful
Lang 狼 láng wolf
Leng 冷 lěng cold
Zang 脏 zāng dirty
Zeng 增加 zēngjiā increase
Chang 长 cháng long
Cheng 城市 长城 chéngshì chángchéng city Great Wall
Rang 让 ràng let/allow
Reng 扔 rēng throw
Break Through Chinese Pronunciation Part 6 www.fluentinmandarin.com
Two u sounds u and ü
Bu 不我不知道 bù no/not wǒ bù zhīdào I don t know
Fu 付钱 fùqián to pay
Shu 书 shū book
Zhu 猪 zhū pig
Du 赌博 dǔbó to gamble
Nu 愤怒 fènnù angry
Nü 女孩 nǚhái a girl
Lu 马路 mǎlù road
Lü 法律 fǎlǜ law
Ju 剧场 jùchǎng theatre
Xu 需要 xūyào need
Yu 下 雨 xiàyǔ to rain
Lüe 战略 zhànlüè strategy
Nve 虐待 nüèdài to maltreat, abuse
Break Through Chinese Pronunciation Part 7 www.fluentinmandarin.com
Gui 贵太贵了 guì expensive tài guì le too expensive
Kui 崩溃 bēngkuì to collapse
Hui 回家 huíjiā go home
Zui 嘴巴 zuǐba mouth
Cui 脆弱 cuìruò fragile
Sui 虽然 suīrán although
Zhui 追 zhuī to chase
Chui 吹 牛 chuīniú brag, talk crap
Rui 尖锐 jiānruì sharp / piercing
Break Through Chinese Pronunciation Part 8 www.fluentinmandarin.com
-uang
Guang 光线 guāngxiàn light
Kuang 疯狂 fēngkuáng crazy
Huang 黄 色 huángsè yellow
Zhuang 服装 fúzhuāng clothing
Shuang 凉爽 liángshuǎng pleasantly cool
Break Through Chinese Pronunciation Part 9 www.fluentinmandarin.com
-un
Dun 吨 dūn ton(ne)
Lun 轮 子 lúnzi wheel
Gun 棍 子 gùnzi stick, rod
Kun 困 kùn sleepy
Hun 结婚 jiéhūn to get married
Zun 尊敬 zūnjìng to respect
Cun 存在 cúnzài to exist
Sun 孙悟空 sūn wùkōng the monkey king
Zhun 准备 zhǔnbèi prepare / get ready
Chun 春天 chūntiān spring
Shun 顺利 shùnlì smooth / without a hitch
Break Through Chinese Pronunciation Part 10 www.fluentinmandarin.com
-ie -ian
Ye 商业 shāngyè business / commercial
Bie 别 人 bíerén other people
Mie 灭 火 mièhuǒ put out a fire
Die 下跌 xiàdiē to fall, decrease
Lie 强烈 qiángliè strong / forceful
Qie 一切 yīqiè everything
Xie 鞋 子 xiézi shoes
Dian 电视 diànshì TV
Tian 甜 tián sweet
Lian 脸 liǎn face
Bian 方便 fāngbiàn convenient
Mian 面条 miàntiáo noodles
Pian 便宜 piányi cheap
Yan 研究 yánjiū research
Break Through Chinese Pronunciation Part 11 www.fluentinmandarin.com
-iu
Diu 丢 diū to lose
Niu 牛 肉 niúròu beef
Liu 六 liù six
Jiu 啤酒 píjiǔ beer
Qiu 要求 yāoqiú demand / request
Xiu 休息 xiūxi rest
Break Through Chinese Pronunciation Part 12 www.fluentinmandarin.com
Yin 银 行 yínháng bank
Bin 嘉宾 jiābīn special guest
Pin 产品 chǎnpǐn product
Min 人民 rénmín the people
Nin 您好 nínhǎo Hello (formal)
Lin 森林 sēnlín forest
Jin 黄 金 huángjīn gold
Qin 钢琴 gāngqín piano
Xin 新 xīn new
Break Through Chinese Pronunciation Part 13 www.fluentinmandarin.com
The Pinyin r
Re 热 rè hot
Ri 日本 rìběn Japan
Rao 打扰 dǎrǎo to disturb
Rou 鸡 肉 jīròu chicken
Ran 然后 ránhòu then, after
Ren 美国 人 měiguórén American
Rong 荣幸 róngxìng honour
Ru 如果 rúguǒ if
Rou 柔软 róuruǎn soft
Run 湿润 shīrùn moist
Break Through Chinese Pronunciation Part 14 www.fluentinmandarin.com
An i in Pinyin can represent two different sounds
Yi 一 yī 1
Bi 笔 bǐ pen / brush
Pi 皮肤 pífū skin
Mi 米饭 mǐfàn rice
Di 弟弟 dìdi younger brother
Ti 踢 足球 tī zúqiú to play football/soccer
Ni 你好 nǐhǎo hello
Li 力量 lìliang strength / force
Ji 鸡蛋 jīdàn egg
Qi 生 气 shēngqì to get angry
Xi 学习 xuéxí to study
Zi 资源 zīyuán resources
Ci 两次 liǎngcì twice
Si 思想 sīxiǎng thoughts, thinking
Zhi 知道 zhīdào to know
Chi 吃饭 chī fàn to eat (rice)
Shi 但是 dànshì but
Ri 星期 日 xīngqīrì Sunday
Break Through Chinese Pronunciation Part 15 www.fluentinmandarin.com
The Pinyin J and Zh sounds
Ji 机会 jīhuì opportunity
Jia 大家 dàjiā everybody
Jie 结婚 jiéhūn to get married
Jiao 水饺 shuǐjiǎo dumplings
Jiu 红酒 hóngjiǔ red wine
Jian 看 见 kànjiàn see
Jiang 长江 chángjiāng Yangtze River
Jin 今天 jīntiān today
Jing 北京 běijīng Beijing
Ju 橘 子 júzi tangerine
Zhu 柱 子 zhùzi pillar / post
Zhi 蜘蛛 zhīzhū spider
Jue 决定 juédìng decide
Juan 考卷 kǎojuàn test paper
Zhuan 专家 zhuānjiā an expert
Jun 军队 jūnduì army
Zhun 准备 zhǔnbèi to prepare
Break Through Chinese Pronunciation Part 16 www.fluentinmandarin.com
The Q and Ch sounds in Pinyin
Qi 起来 qǐlái to get up
Qia 恰好 qiàhǎo by coincidence
Qie 茄 子 qiézi aubergine eggplant
Qiao 桥梁 qiáoliáng bridge
Qian 多少钱? duōshǎo qián? How much money?
Qiang 强壮 qiángzhuàng strong
Qin 钢琴 gāngqín piano
Qing 情绪 qíngxù feelings / emotions
Qiong 贫穷 pínqióng poor
Qu 有趣 yǒuqù interesting
Chu 清楚 qīngchu clear
Que 确定 quèdìng confirm
Chi 吃饭 chīfàn to eat (rice)
Quan 完全 wánquán completely
Chuan 四川 sìchuān Sichuan province
Qun 裙 子 qúnzi skirt
Chun 春天 chūntiān spring
Break Through Chinese Pronunciation Part 17 www.fluentinmandarin.com
The X and Sh sounds in Pinyin
Xi 西 方 xīfāng the West
Shi 事情 shìqing a matter / an affair
Xia 夏天 xiàtiān summer
Xie 鞋 子 xiézi shoes
Xiao 笑容 xiàoróng smile
Xiu 休息 xiūxi to rest
Xian 先 生 xiānsheng Mr / sir
Xiang 香港 xiānggǎng Hong Kong
Xin 辛苦 xīnkǔ hard work / hard working
Xing 星星 xīngxing star
Xiong 熊猫 xióngmāo panda
Xu 需要 xūyào need
Shu 艺术 yìshù art
Xue 学习 xuéxí to study
Shui 水 shuǐ water
Xuan 选择 xuǎnzé to choose
Shuan 消 火栓 xiāohuǒshuān fire hydrant
Xun 咨询 zīxún to inquire
Shun 顺利 shùnlì smooth, without a hitch