Pinyin chart
Pinyin writes Mandarin with the Latin alphabet. Every syllable has three parts: an initial (the consonant at the start), a final (the rest) and a tone. Learn the three, and you can read the pronunciation of any word.
- The tonesFour tones, the neutral tone, and how tones change.
- The initialsThe 21 consonants that start a syllable.
- The finalsVowels and endings, and how they are spelled.
The tones
- First toneā
High and level, held steady.
妈 māmother - Second toneá
Rises from middle to high, like asking “what?”.
麻 máhemp; numb - Third toneǎ
Low; dips down, rising again at the end only when said alone.
马 mǎhorse - Fourth toneà
Falls sharply from high to low, short and firm.
骂 màto scold - Neutral tonea
Short and light, with no mark.
吗 maquestion particle