NPA

 

 

(Pinyin + Vowels)

Pinyin

 

bo

chi

ci

de

fo

ge

he

ji

ke

 le

 mɔ

ne

pɔ

qi

ri

shi

si

te

xi

zhi

zi

Consonant sound of

the NPA symbol 

 

IPA

b

tʂʰ

 tsʰ

 t

f

g

x


kʰ

l

m

n

pʰ

tɕʰ

ʐ

ʂ

s

tʰ 

ɕ

tʂ

ts

NPA symbols pronounced in isolation

 

 

 bɔ

 ʈʂʰɨ  

 tsʰɯ

 tʌ

 

 fɔ

 gʌ

 xʌ

 i

kʰʌ

 

 mɔ

 nʌ

 pʰɔ

 tɕʰi

 ʐɨ

ʂɨ

̩

 tʰʌ

 ɕi

ʈʂɨ

tsɨ̩

a

ɑ  

bɑ

tʂʰɑ

tsʰɑ

d

fɑ

gɑ

xɑ

 

kʰɑ

lɑ

mɑ

nɑ

pʰɑ

 

 

ʂɑ

sɑ

tʰɑ

 

tʂɑ

tsɑ

ai

ai  

bai

tʂʰai

tsʰai

tai

 

gai

xai

 

kʰai

lai

mai

nai

pʰai

 

 

ʂai

sai

tʰai

 

tʂai

tsai

an

ɐn  

bɐn

tʂʰɐn

tsʰɐn

tɐn

fɐn

gɐn

xɐn

 

kʰɐn

lɐn

mɐn

nɐn

pʰɐn

 

ʐɐn

ʂɐn

sɐn

tʰɐn

 

tʂɐn

tsɐn

ang

ɑŋ  ̯

bɑŋ

tʂʰɑŋ

tsʰɑŋ

tɑŋ

fɑŋ

gɑŋ

xɑŋ

 

kʰɑŋ

lɑŋ

mɑŋ

nɑŋ

pʰɑŋ

 

ʐɑŋ

ʂɑŋ

sɑŋ

tʰɑŋ

 

tʂɑŋ

tsɑŋ

ao

ɑʊ ̯

bɑʊ

tʂʰɑʊ

tsʰɑʊ

tɑʊ

 

gɑʊ

xɑʊ

 

kʰɑʊ

lɑʊ

mɑʊ

nɑʊ

pʰɑʊ

 

ʐɑʊ

ʂɑʊ

sɑʊ

tʰɑʊ

 

tʂɑʊ

tsɑʊ

e

ʌ

 

tʂʰʌ 

 tsʰʌ

tʌ

 

gʌ

xʌ

 

kʰʌ

mʌ

nʌ

 

 

ʐʌ 

ʂʌ 

sʌ

tʰʌ

 

tʂʌ

tsʌ

ê

ε

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

nε

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ei

ei  

bei

 

 

tei

fei

gei

xei

 

kʰei

lei

mei

nei

pʰei

 

 

ʂei

sei

 

 

tʂei

tsei

en

ən  

bən

tʂʰən

 

tən

fən

gən

xən

 

kʰən

 

mən

nən

pʰən

 

ʐən

ʂən

sən

 

 

tʂən

tsən

eng

əŋ  

bəŋ

tʂʰəŋ

tsʰəŋ

təŋ

fəŋ

gəŋ

xəŋ

 

kʰəŋ

ləŋ

məŋ

nəŋ

pʰəŋ

 

ʐəŋ

ʂəŋ

səŋ

tʰəŋ

 

tʂəŋ

tsəŋ

-er

ɚ  ɑɻ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

o

ɔ

 

 

tsʰɔ

 

fɔ

 

 

 

 

lɔ

mɔ

 

pʰɔ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ㄡ    

-ou

o

 

tʂʰou

tsʰou

tou

fou

gou

xou

 

kʰou

lou

mou

nou

pʰou

 

ʐou

ʂou

sou

tʰou

 

tʂou

tsou

yi

i

bi

 

 

ti

 

 

 

tɕi

 

li

mi

ni

pʰi

tɕʰi

 

 

 

tʰi

ɕi

 

 

ㄧ ㄚ Ya ja                                          

ㄧㄚ

ya

ia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

tɕia

 

lia

 

nia

 

tɕʰia

 

 

 

 

ɕia

 

 

ㄧㄢ

Yan

jɛn

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

ㄧㄢ

-ian

iɛ

biɛn

 

 

tiɛn

 

 

 

tɕiɛn

 

liɛn

miɛn

niɛn

pʰiɛn

tɕʰiɛn

 

 

 

tʰiɛn

ɕiɛn

 

 

ㄧㄤ

Yang

jaŋ

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

ㄧㄤ

-iang

iaŋ [i̯ɑŋ]

 

 

 

tiaŋ

 

 

 

tɕiaŋ

 

liaŋ

 

niaŋ

 

tɕʰiaŋ

 

 

 

 

ɕiaŋ

 

 

ㄧㄠ

Yao

jɑu

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

ㄧㄠ

-iao

iau [i̯ɑʊ̯]̯

biau

 

 

tiau

fiau

 

 

tɕiau

 

liau

miau

niau

pʰiau

tɕʰiau

 

 

 

tʰiau

ɕiau

 

 

ㄧㄝ

Ye

jɛ

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

ㄧㄝ

-ie

iɛ  

biɛ

 

 

tiɛ

 

 

 

tɕiɛ

 

liɛ

miɛ

niɛ

pʰiɛ

tɕʰiɛ

 

 

 

tʰiɛ

ɕiɛ

 

 

ㄧㄣ

yin

ɪn  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

tɕɪn

 

lɪn

mɪn

nɪn

pʰɪn

tɕʰi

 

 

 

 

ɕɪn

 

 

ㄧㄥ

ying

ɪŋ  

bɪŋ

 

 

tɪŋ

 

 

 

tɕɪŋ

 

lɪŋ

mɪŋ

nɪŋ

pʰɪŋ

tɕʰɪŋ

 

 

 

tʰɪŋ

ɕɪŋ

 

 

ㄧㄡ

You

jɔu

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

ㄧㄡ

-iu

iou | iu 

 

 

 

tiu

 

 

 

tɕiou

 

liou

miou

niou

 

tɕʰiou

 

 

 

 

ɕiou

 

 

ㄨㄚ

Wa

wɑ

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

ㄨㄚ

-ua

uɑ

 

 

tʂʰuɑ

 

 

 

 

guɑ

xuɑ

 

kʰuɑ

 

 

 

 

 

 

ʂuɑ

 

 

 

tʂuɑ

 

ㄥ   (翁)

Weng

wʌŋ |uəŋ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ㄥ   ()

-ong

ʊŋ

 

tʂʰʊŋ

tsʰʊŋ

tʊŋ

 

gʊŋ

xʊŋ

 

kʰʊŋ

lʊŋ

 

nʊŋ

 

 

 

ʂʊŋ

sʊŋ

tʰʊŋ

 

tʂʊŋ

tsʊŋ

Wu

wu

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

ㄨ 

-u

u

bu

tʂʰu

tsʰu

tu

fu

gu

xu

 

kʰu

lu

mu

nu

pʰu

 

ʐu

ʂu

su

tʰu

 

tʂu

tsu

ㄨㄞ

Wai

wai

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0


0

0

0

0

0

0

ㄨㄞ

-uai

uai 

 

tʂʰuai

 

 

 

guai

xuai

 

kʰuai

 

 

 

 

 

 

ʂuai

 

 

 

tʂuai

 

ㄨㄢ

Wan

wan

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

ㄨㄢ

-uan

uan 

 

tʂʰuan

tsʰuan

tuan

 

guan

xuan

 

kʰuan

luan

 

nuan

 

 

ʐuan

ʂuan

suan

tʰuan

 

tʂuan

tsuan

ㄨㄤ

Wang

waŋ

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

ㄨㄤ

-uang

uɑŋ

 

tʂʰuɑŋ

 

 

 

guɑŋ

xuɑŋ

 

kʰuɑŋ

 

 

 

 

 

 

ʂuɑŋ

 

 

 

tʂuɑŋ

 

ㄨㄟ

Wei

wei

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

ㄨㄟ

-u(e)i

uei  

 

tʂʰuei

tsʰuei

tuei

 

guei

xuei

 

kʰuei

 

 

 

 

 

ʐuei

ʂuei

suei

tʰuei

 

tʂuei

tsuei

ㄨㄣ

Wen

wən

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

ㄨㄣ

-un

ʊn |  uən

 

tʂʰʊn

tsʰʊn

tʊn

 

gʊn

xʊn

 

kʰʊn

lʊn

 

nʊn

 

 

ʐʊn

ʂʊn

sʊn

tʰʊn

 

tʂʊn

tsʊn

ㄨㄛ

Wo

wɔ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ㄨㄛ

-uo

uɔ

 

tʂʰuɔ

tsʰuɔ

tuɔ

 

guɔ

xuɔ

 

kʰuɔ

luɔ

 

nuɔ

 

 

ʐuɔ

ʂuɔ

suɔ

tʰuɔ

 

tʂuɔ

tsuɔ

ㄩㄥ

Yong

jʊŋ

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

ㄩㄥ

-iong

 iʊŋ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

tɕiʊŋ

 

 

 

 

 

tɕʰiʊŋ

 

 

 

 

ɕiʊŋ

 

 

yu

y

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

tɕy

 

ly

 

ny

 

tɕʰy

 

 

 

 

ɕy

 

 

ㄩㄢ   

Yuan

ɥan | ɥɛn

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

ㄩㄢ

-uan

yan | yɛn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

tɕyɛn

 

lyɛn

 

 

 

tɕʰyɛn

 

 

 

 

ɕyɛn

 

 

ㄩㄝ

Yue

ɥɛ  

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

ㄩㄝ

-ue

yɛ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

tɕyɛ

 

lyɛ

 

nyɛ

 

tɕʰyɛ

 

 

 

 

ɕyɛ

 

 

ㄩㄣ

Yun

ɥn

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

ㄩㄣ

-un

yn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

tɕyn

 

lyn

 

 

 

tɕʰyn

 

 

 

 

ɕyn

 

 

The symbols "ɹ" and "ʐ"are alternative ways of recording the same basic sound, a retroflex (i.e., one made by curling the tongue far back in the mouth). Only ʐ is used here. Capitalized pinyin spellings indicate the sound as pronounced when there is no preceding consonant. (In some cases words beginning with vowel letters are consonantized.) Underlined letters such as "g" are voiceless. In proper IPA symbols they would be written with a small circle below (or above in the case of "g").

 

Vowels have been added to the pinyin romanizations in the second row because the NPA symbols for consonants are read with following vowel sounds (just as "B" in English is read as "bee"). The recordings for this row are readings of the NPA symbols, i.e., they supply the appropriate vowels.

 

The "consonantized" vowel sounds (e.g., the capitalized pinyin vs. the uncapitalized pinyin, Yong is "consonantized," but "-iong" is not) are made with a very tight constriction of the air path at the start of the syllable. In English it would be the difference between "Yip" and "ip," "Woo" and "ooh," etc. Speakers of some regions of China do not consonantize some initial vowels that others would consonantize. For instance, most speakers read 烏龍茶 as "woo loong chah," but others would read it as "oo loong chah." The National Phonetic Alphabet would write both pronunciations as "ㄨ  ㄌㄨㄥ  ㄔbecause for the sake of simplicity it does not distinguish between the two.

The symbol  "ɥ" represents a labio-palatal approximant, i.e., the consonantized "u" sound in the word for moon, 月 yuè. It is made by strongly pursing the lips at the beginning of the word. 

The symbol "w" represents a voiced labiovelar approximant, and has the same value as the normal case in English. "Woops" is different from "oops."

Examples of words commonly mispronounced:

 

"Shih Tzu" (Wade-Giles romanization) is ʂɨ ts̩ (Click to hear this word.)

"Beijing" (Pinyin romanization) is bei tɕɪŋ, (Click to hear this word.)

 

Good IPA sound clips are available on-line. The second speaker comes closer to the Chinese sounds.