Pinyin uses English letters, but several don't sound like English at all. Q is close to the "ch" in "cheese," x sits between "s" and "sh," zh is like the "j" in "judge" with the tongue curled back, c is the "ts" in "cats," and ü is "ee" said with rounded lips.
Pinyin was designed so that Chinese sounds could be written with Latin letters, not so that English speakers could read it without training. Each letter was assigned to the closest Mandarin sound, and some assignments are far from English habits. The result is that 去 (qù) "to go" gets read as "koo" and 菜 (cài) "dish" as "kai." Learn the handful of letters below and you can read almost any pinyin correctly.
| Pinyin | English speakers say | Closer to | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| q | "k" or "kw" | "ch" in "cheese," with a puff of air | 七 (qī) seven, 去 (qù) to go |
| x | "z" or "ks" | between "s" and "sh" | 谢谢 (xièxie) thank you, 西安 (Xī'ān) Xi'an |
| j | "j" in "jam," fully voiced | "j" in "jeep," but lighter, tongue tip down | 鸡 (jī) chicken, 九 (jiǔ) nine |
| zh | "z" | "j" in "judge" with the tongue curled back | 中国 (Zhōngguó) China, 这 (zhè) this |
| ch | English "ch," fine but too far forward | "ch" in "church" with the tongue curled back | 吃 (chī) to eat, 茶 (chá) tea |
| c | "k" or "s" | "ts" in "cats," with a puff of air | 菜 (cài) dish, 草 (cǎo) grass |
| z | English "z" | "ds" in "kids," not buzzing | 在 (zài) at, 早 (zǎo) early |
| r | English "r" | between "r" and the "s" in "measure" | 人 (rén) person, 热 (rè) hot |
These three are made with the tip of your tongue resting behind your lower front teeth and the middle of the tongue raised toward the roof of your mouth. Smile slightly. English has nothing exactly like them, which is why "ch," "j" and "sh" are only approximations. They are always followed by an "i" or "ü" sound, which helps: the spread lips of the vowel are already in place.
If you say 谢谢 (xièxie) with an English "sh," you will be understood, but it sounds foreign. With an English "s" it sounds further off still. Aim for a soft hiss with the tongue flat and the tip down.
This group is made with the tongue tip raised and pulled back toward the roof of the mouth, behind the ridge above your teeth. English "j," "ch" and "sh" are made further forward, so the English versions sound too light. Curling back is what separates 是 (shì) "to be" from 四 (sì) "four," and 知道 (zhīdào) "to know" from a mumble. In parts of southern China and Taiwan, many speakers flatten these sounds toward z, c, s, so you will hear both. Learn the curled version first: it is the standard.
English only has "ts" at the end of words, as in "cats" and "hats," so English speakers resist it at the start. Mandarin c is "ts" plus a strong puff of air: 词 (cí) "word," 厕所 (cèsuǒ) "toilet." Mandarin z is the same position without the puff, closer to the "ds" in "kids": 字 (zì) "character," 坐 (zuò) "to sit." Never read c as "k." 菜 (cài) said as "kai" won't get you a dish.
English separates b and p mainly by voicing: your vocal cords buzz for b. Mandarin separates them by air. Pinyin b, d, g, z, zh, j have no puff and no buzz. P, t, k, c, ch, q have a strong puff. Hold a hand in front of your mouth: 怕 (pà) "afraid" should push air against it, 爸 (bà) "dad" should not. English speakers usually get b, d and g close enough, but the pairs z and c, j and q, and zh and ch need conscious practice.
To make ü, say "ee" and, without moving your tongue, round your lips as if for "oo." It is the vowel in 女 (nǚ) "woman," 绿 (lǜ) "green" and 鱼 (yú) "fish."
The dots are often left off, which catches everyone. After j, q, x and y, the letter u always means ü, because these consonants never combine with a plain "oo" sound.
| Written | Actual vowel | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ju, qu, xu, yu | ü | 去 (qù) to go, 学 (xué) to study, 雨 (yǔ) rain |
| lü, nü | ü (dots kept) | 绿 (lǜ) green, 女 (nǚ) woman |
| lu, nu | plain "oo" | 路 (lù) road, 努力 (nǔlì) to work hard |
So 去 (qù) is not "coo" or "kwoo." It is closer to "chü," with rounded lips.
After z, c, s, zh, ch, sh and r, the letter i does not mean "ee." It stands for a buzzing continuation of the consonant. 四 (sì) "four" is not "see," and 是 (shì) "to be" is not "she." Hold the consonant and add voice, with no "ee" glide.
| Written | Sounds like | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -ui | "way" | 对 (duì) correct |
| -iu | "yo" | 六 (liù) six |
| -ian | "yen," not "yan" | 天 (tiān) sky, day |
| e (alone or final) | like the "u" in "duh," tongue pulled back | 喝 (hē) to drink |
| ao | "ow" in "cow" | 好 (hǎo) good |
| ou | "oh" | 狗 (gǒu) dog |
| ei | "ay" in "day" | 北 (běi) north |
The -ian ending is the one English speakers miss most: 面 (miàn) "noodles" sounds like "myen." Read it as "myan" and native speakers will hear a heavy accent, even if they understand you.
Reading pinyin correctly is a skill you build by ear and mouth together. Read a short list out loud, then say the same words in a real exchange, like ordering 茶 (chá) or thanking someone with 谢谢 (xièxie), and notice which letters still come out English.
Close to the ch in cheese, but with the tongue tip resting behind the lower teeth and a strong puff of air. It is never a k sound. 七 (qī) seven sounds roughly like chee.
X is made with the tongue flat and its tip down behind the lower teeth, giving a soft sound between s and sh. Sh is made with the tongue tip curled back toward the roof of the mouth. 西 (xī) west and 诗 (shī) poem are different syllables.
J, q, x and y never combine with a plain oo vowel in Mandarin, so pinyin drops the dots after them to save writing. Qu, ju, xu and yu always contain ü.
It is close but not the same. Zh has no voicing and is made with the tongue tip curled back. English j is voiced and made further forward. Starting from English j and curling your tongue back gets you most of the way.
