Basic Chinese Pinyin Rules

* Make sure you set your browser encoding correctly to read Chinese words in this article. Chinese Simplified GB2312 is recommended. Please find detail instruction from this page: http://www.learn-chinese-language-online.com/read-chinese-online.html

Talking about Chinese Pinyin rules, let's start by looking at the following different scenarios:

1. Tone Mark Placement

The tone mark is placed over the vowel if there is only one vowel, e.g. wo, or on the main vowel of a syllable where they are two or three vowels, e.g. hao.

1.1 Syllable with one vowel letter, tone mark is always placed over the vowel letter. For examples:

笔 bǐ ( pen ) , 山 shān ( mountain )

车 chē ( car ), 信 xìn ( letter )

1.2 Syllables with two or three vowel letters: If the first vowel letter is a medial , e.g. "i", "u", or " ü ", the tone mark is placed over the vowel letter after the medial.

For example:

学 xué ( study ) , 贵 guì ( expensive)

小 xiao ( small ) , ? lüè ( strategy)

1.3 If the first vowel letter is not a medial, the tone mark is always placed on the first vowel letter.

For example:

靠 kào ( rely ) , 要 yào ( ask )

好 hǎo ( good ) , 北 běi ( north )

2. Syllables With an Initial

Write down the initial and then the final with no space between them.

For example:

客kè ( guest ) , 桌 zhuō ( desk ) 忙 máng ( busy ) , 飞 fēi ( fly )

Exceptions:

If and only if "uo" follows "b", "p", "m", or "f", "u" is dropped, resulting in "bo", "po", "mo", or "fo". If and only if "ü" follows "j", "q", "x", ü is changed to "u", resulting in "ju", "qu" and "xu"

3. Syllables Without an Initial

3.1 Syllables starting with "a", "o" or "e", just write down the final.

For example:

安 ān ( safe ), 鸥 ōu ( seagull ) 恩 en 恩 ( favor ), 昂 áng ( raise )

3.2 Syllables starting with "i", replace "i" with "y". For example:

严 yán ( strict ), 也 yě ( too )

Exceptions:

For the single vowel "i", and the nasals "in" and "ing", "y" is added before "i", resulting in "yi", "yin", and "ying";

Spell "you" for "iu", 有 yǒu ( have )

3.3 Syllables starting with "u", replace "u" with "w".

For example:

完 wán ( finish ), 外 wài ( outside )

王 wáng ( king ), 网 wǎng ( net )

Exceptions:

For the single vowel "u", "w" is added before "u", resulting in "wu";

Spell "wen" for "un";

Spell "wei" for "ui".

3.4 Syllables starting with "ü", replace "ü" with "yu".

For example:

雨 yǔ ( rain ), 孕 yùn ( pregnant )

园yuán ( circle ), 约 yuē ( appointment )

4. R-ending

The "er" (儿) sound can follow finals to form retroflection, add "r" at the end of the syllable in this case.

For example:

小孩儿 xiǎo hái er ( little kids )

雨点儿 yǔ diǎn er ( rain drops )

树枝儿 shù zhī er ( tree branch )

Again, it is good to know these rules to understand how to spell a character from Pinyin, but don't be intimidated by these Pinyin rules.

The more you practice, the more you will feel comfortable when speaking Chinese. You will eventually learn these rules without even realizing they exist, like most Chinese people do.

Rosie From Learn Chinese Language Online (http://www.learn-chinese-language-online.com )

The goal of Learn Chinese Language Online (LCLO) is to reduce the Mandarin Learning curve, promote and introduce the most efficient way to grasp the broad foundation of Chinese language.

---

How To Get Rich and Die Quick!

It is funny how web site promotion can suddently plunge... Read More

Tribal Masks

Original Tribal masks are often seen by unknowing eyes as... Read More

Sixties: The Decade of Rebellion

It is safe to say that in ... Read More

Are You Embarassed by Your Civil War Uniform Impression?

"Authentic," "authentic," "authentic" is all you hear if you are... Read More

Jewelry Making for Fun and Profit

There is an old adage that says work isn't really... Read More

How I lost A million Dollars In A Bank Robbery

The Million dollars was my life-savings earmarked for prime the... Read More

Ancient Indian Civilizations - Where Did They All Go?

In 1350 AD we were still quite a few centuries... Read More

Egyptian Handmade Perfume Bottles

Blown glass, a very ancient technique, is the oldest among... Read More

Propaganda and American Journalism, Born Joined at Birth

Passion was the main stuff of journalism long before the... Read More

Mars, the Mighty and Marvelous

Martius, the month of March, is named after him. So... Read More

Nessie, the Beast of the Loch

They were fierce hill tribes in what is now Scotland,... Read More

The Symbolism Behind an Anchor Tattoo and Anchor Tattoo Design

Anchor tattoos were all the rage for sailors. It was... Read More

Sir Francis Drake

FRANCIS DRAKE: - It is my perspective that history has... Read More

Sterling Silver Jewelry - The Rest Of The Story

Silver is widely diffused but is rarely found in the... Read More

Precious Stones -The Big Five: Part 1, The Emerald

The emerald is probably the most rare of all precious... Read More

Basic Chinese Pinyin Rules

* Make sure you set your browser encoding correctly to... Read More

The Origin of Americas Corporate Elite (BC)

Ephesus had a shrine to the Anatolian mother-goddess and the... Read More

Tribal Tattoo Designs - Why Are They So Popular?

Tribal tattoos have been practiced for thousands of years. Modern... Read More

Precious Stones - The Big Five: Part 2, The Ruby

What fairy tales of enchanted princesses and legendary lore of... Read More

Bad Mouthing Fellow Authors

The creative mind is a gift to humanity; but unfortunately... Read More

Mexican Living: Issues of Life

This morning when I got out of bed, I had... Read More

King Tuts Tomb was No Better - Found in America

Between 603 and 702 AD. a truly marvelous temple was... Read More

The Life of Nikola Tesla - Intro

It is not my purpose to claim to know all... Read More

The Nos Feratu

The Caduceus has the pine cone representing the Pineal Gland... Read More

Ancient Philosophy On The Internet Can Change How We Think

Here I am again sitting at my computer, my job... Read More

Copper Keels and Red Ochre

Copper Keels:Nature provides varying resources in different parts of the... Read More

Feng Shui and the Year of the Rooster - an Overview

Feng shui involves more than just colors and where you... Read More

Cant Afford Illness in America

I had become too sick to live in America.Even with... Read More

Authenticity Of Vastu (Science of Indian architecture)

Vastu is one of the most ancient sciences of Indian... Read More

Man and His Machines

A woman creates life from her womb, and man tries... Read More

Michael Jacksons Latest Album Has Flopped

One month after being cleared of sex assault charges, Michael... Read More

Was there Always Bias in Journalism? Ask George Washington. Hell tell you

There is bias in the elite media! How often do... Read More

Family, Incest, and Law

Family Values in Ancient Times:Many people of the present make... Read More