| 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 |
|
