Conversational Mandarin

Review of Hanyu Pinyin

Lesson 1
Review of Hanyu Pinyin
On this session will be discussing the following topics:

Initials

Finals

The Chinese Phonetic Alphabet

The Four Tones

 Objectives
DLO1: Identify and accurately pronounce all initials, being able to
differentiate between similar sounds.
DLO2: Recognize and proficiently pronounce all finals, with a focus on
the various vowel and diphthong sounds.
DLO3: Explain the purpose and utility of the Chinese Phonetic Alphabet
in aiding pronunciation and language learning.
DLO4: Appropriately distinguish and apply the four tones in Mandarin,
ensuring accurate tone pronunciation for enhanced communication.
Initials are divided into three sounds:

Aspirated
Unaspirated
Voiceless
 Aspirated Initials (p, t, k, ch)
Aspirated initials are pronounced with a burst of air, creating a
slight "h" sound at the beginning. They are typically considered
stronger or more forceful sounds compared to their unaspirated
counterparts.
Aspirated initials in Mandarin: p, t, k, ch
Examples:
拍 (pāi) - "pat"
天 (tiān) - "sky"
卡 (kǎ) - "card"
差 (chà) - "difference"
 Unaspirated Initials (b, d, g, j, z, c, s)
Unaspirated initials do not have a noticeable burst of air or "h"
sound at the beginning. They are softer or gentler sounds
compared to aspirated initials.
Unaspirated initials in Mandarin: b, d, g, j, z, c, s
Examples:
包 (bāo) - "wrap“ 在 (zài) - "at/in"
地 (dì) - "earth“ 脏 (zāng) - "dirty"
个 (gè) - "individual“ 四 (sì) - "four"
介 (jiè) - "introduce"
 Voiceless Initials (f,h)
Voiceless Initials:
Voiceless initials are pronounced without vibrating the vocal
cords. They have a distinct lack of vocalization in their sound.
Voiceless initials in Mandarin: f, h
Examples:
飞 (fēi) - "fly"
好 (hǎo) - "good"
Finals are also categorized into three:
Simple
Compound
Nasal Compound
 Simple Finals (dān yùnmǔ)
Simple Finals (单韵母, dān yùnmǔ):

Simple finals consist of a single vowel sound.

Examples include "a" (阿), "o" (哦), "e" (额), "i" (衣), and
"u" (乌).
Simple finals are usually short and do not contain a glide
or diphthong.
 Compound Finals (fù yùnmǔ)
Compound Finals (复韵母, fù yùnmǔ):

Compound finals are formed by combining a simple vowel sound

with a glide (semivowel) "i" or "u."
Examples of compound finals with "i" include "ai" (爱), "ei" (诶),
and "ui" (威).
Examples of compound finals with "u" include "ou" (欧), "iu" (秀),
and "iu" (流).
Compound finals can be longer and more complex than simple
finals.
 Nasal Compound Finals (bíyīn fù yùnmǔ)
Nasal Compound Finals (鼻音复韵母, bíyīn fù yùnmǔ):

Nasal compound finals are compound finals with a nasal ending.

They are characterized by the addition of a nasal sound (-n or -ng)
to the end of a compound final.
Examples include "an" (安), "en" (恩), "ing" (英), "ang" (昂), and
"ong" (冲).
Nasal compound finals are typically pronounced with a nasal
airflow, similar to the nasalized vowels in languages like French.
Mandarin Chinese Pinyin Chart
Initials Identification and
Differentiation
Assessment Task No.1
 Instruction
In this task, you will be presented with a set of Mandarin initials,
including those with similar sounds. You are required to identify
each initial and differentiate between pairs of initials with similar
sounds. The students will record your responses in a written
format.

Initials:

{b, p, d, t, z, c, s, f, h}
Now, for each pair of initials with similar
sounds, indicate the difference between them:

A) b and p
B) d and t
C) z and c
D) s and c
E) f and h
A) b and p
Difference: The initial "b" is unaspirated, while the initial "p" is aspirated. "b" is
pronounced with a soft beginning sound, and "p" is pronounced with a stronger burst
of air at the beginning.
B) d and t
Difference: The initial "d" is unaspirated, while the initial "t" is aspirated. "d" is
pronounced softly, and "t" has a stronger burst of air at the beginning.
C) z and c
Difference: The initial "z" is unaspirated, while the initial "c" is aspirated. "z" is
pronounced softly, and "c" is pronounced with a stronger burst of air at the
beginning.
D) s and c
Difference: The initial "s" is voiceless, produced without vibrating the vocal cords,
while the initial "c" is aspirated. "s" has a lack of vocalization in its sound, and "c" is
pronounced with a stronger burst of air.
E) f and h
Difference: The initial "f" is voiceless, produced without vibrating the vocal cords,
while the initial "h" is aspirated. "f" has a lack of vocalization in its sound, and "h" is
pronounced with a stronger burst of air.
Finals Recognition and
Pronunciation
Assessment Task No.1
 Instruction
You will be provided with list of vocabulary and your task is to
identify the finals on each words and look for its meaning. Practice
pronouncing them to be able to identify the finals on each word
more easily. Write your answer in a sheet of bond paper.
1. 你 (nǐ)
2. 妈妈 (māmā)
3. 狗 (gǒu)
4. 了 (le)
5. 鱼 (yú)
6. 女 (nǚ)
 Instruction
7. 蓝天 (lántiān) 15. 中国 (Zhōngguó)
8. 飞机 (fēijī) 16. 贵 (guì)
9. 老虎 (lǎohǔ) 17. 电脑 (diànnǎo)
10. 头 (tóu) 18. 去 (qù)
11. 男人 (nánrén) 19. 中间 (zhōngjiān)
12. 电影 (diànyǐng) 20. 音乐 (yīnyuè)
13. 门 (mén) 21. 空气 (kōngqì)
14. 太阳 (tàiyáng) 22. 银行 (yínháng)