| 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
|
|
