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Pinyin拼音

Pinyin is how Chinese sounds are written with Latin letters. Children learn it first, so they can read new words before they know the characters. This chart follows the school 拼音表: 23 initials (声母), 24 finals (韵母) and 16 whole syllables (整体认读音节). Tap a sound to hear it in four tones, with words to practise.

声母Initials23

韵母Finals24

单韵母Simple finals

a8 o8 e8 i8 u8 ü8

复韵母Double finals

ai8 ei8 ui8 ao8 ou8 iu8 ie8 üe8 er6

鼻韵母Finals with n / ng

an8 en8 in8 un5 ün3 ang8 eng8 ing8 ong8

三拼音节Three sounds in one syllable+11

Not part of the 24 finals: a middle i / u / ü and a final said in one go, as the book builds them — h‑u‑a → hua.

ia8 ua8 uo8 uai4 iao8 ian8 uan7 üan8 iang8 uang8 iong5

整体认读音节Whole syllables16

These syllables are read as one whole sound — you don't build them from letters.

zhi4 chi4 shi6 ri3 zi6 ci3 si2 yi5 wu4 yu5 ye3 yue2 yuan4 yin4 yun2 ying4

听一听 · Pinyin game
Hear a word and pick its tone — or the letters you hear. All words from every card.