Initials & Finals
Spoken Description
学习汉语拼音的声母和韵母：详解每个音节的发音和拼写规则，对初学者逐步演练拼读技巧，还结合实例提示发音变化，配培养语感的小练习，帮助构建清晰的发音基础。
Learn Chinese initials and finals: clear explanations of each sound and spelling rules, progressive pronunciation exercises, and practice with common examples that clarify how sounds change in different contexts, building a solid foundation for spoken Chinese.
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Mandarin syllables split neatly into a beginning sound called the initial and an ending part called the final, and mastering these helps you pronounce words clearly. This guide walks through the main initials and finals with examples so you can hear and practice each sound.
Initials
Initials are consonants that start a syllable, and Mandarin has about 20 standard ones. They set the tone for how a syllable begins and some pairs differ subtly in where or how they are pronounced.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Initial | English Sound | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 妈 | m | m as in "mom" | |
| 你 | n | n as in "nice" | |
| 他 | t | t as in "top" | |
| 起 | q | ch as in "cheap" (but with the tongue placed differently) | |
| 西 | x | sh as in "she" (but with the tongue flatter) |
(mom) 妈
m (mom) mā (妈)
Fill in the initial for the syllable 妈 (mā) which means 'mom'.
Finals
Finals follow the initial and contain the vowel sound plus any ending like -n or -ng. They carry the melody of the syllable and there are about 35 common finals. Some can stand alone as syllables and others always attach to an initial.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Final | English Sound | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 买 | ai | i as in "eye" | |
| 们 | en | en as in "taken" | |
| 发 | a | a as in "father" | |
| 说 | uo | o as in "or" | |
| 轻 | ing | ing as in "sing" |
m(full) 满
m an (full) mǎn (满)
Identify the final in the syllable 满 (mǎn).
Special Finals
Some finals start with a slight y or w sound and are written with letters like i, u, or ü in Pinyin. The ü sound does not occur after all initials and represents a rounded front vowel. Paying attention to these helps avoid mixing similar syllables.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Final | English Sound | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 雨 | ü | ew as in German "über" (rounded front vowel) | |
| 语 | yu | y + ü sound | |
| 五 | wu | w + u sound | |
| 一 | yi | y + i sound | |
| 玩 | wan | w + an sound |
y(rain) 雨
y ü (rain) yǔ (雨)
Identify the special final in the syllable 雨 (yǔ) which uses the ü sound.
Practice
Listen to native speakers pronounce initials and finals slowly, then repeat each sound after them. Record yourself to compare and focus on tricky contrasts like q vs. ch or ü vs. u. Use minimal pairs—words that differ by only one sound—to sharpen your ear and tongue.
q(knock) 敲
q iao (knock) qiāo (敲)
Listen and fill in the final for the monosyllable 敲 (qiāo).
Summary
Mandarin syllables split into an initial consonant and a final vowel (plus any ending), and mastering these small building blocks makes pronunciation more accurate. Learn the key initials and finals, pay attention to special sounds like ü, and practice aloud with native examples.
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