The initials
The initial is the consonant at the start of a syllable. Pinyin has 21 of them, grouped here by the part of the mouth that makes them.
Lips
- b爸 bàdad
- p怕 pàto fear
- m妈 māmother
- f饭 fànrice; meal
Tongue tip
- d大 dàbig
- t他 tāhe
- n你 nǐyou
- l来 láito come
Back of the tongue
- g哥 gēelder brother
- k看 kànto look
- h好 hǎogood
Tongue flat behind the lower teeth
Always followed by i or ü (written u).
- j家 jiāhome
- q去 qùto go
- x小 xiǎosmall
Tongue curled back
- zh中 zhōngmiddle
- ch吃 chīto eat
- sh是 shìto be
- r人 rénperson
Tongue behind the upper teeth
- z再 zàiagain
- c菜 càidish; vegetable
- s三 sānthree
b–p, d–t, g–k, j–q, zh–ch and z–c are pairs: the mouth is the same, but the second sound has a puff of air. Hold a hand before your mouth to feel it.