Finals

	i	u	ü
a	ia	ua
o		uo	üe
e	ie
er
ai		uai
ei		uei (ui)
ao	iao
ou	iou (iu)
an	ian	uan	üan
en	in	uen (un)	ün
ang	iang	uang
eng	ing	ueng
ong	iong

a like “a” in “fat”

o like “o” in “of”

e like “e” in “her”

i like “ee” in “bee”

u like “ oo” in “wood”

ü like “u” in “tu” (French)

ai like “eye” / like “i” in “idea”

ei like “ay” in “day”

ao like “ow” in “cow”

ou like “o” in English alphabets

an like “an” in “pan”

en like “en” in “tender”

ang like “

eng like “un” in “hunt”

ong like “ong” in “ding-dong”

ia like “ya” in “yacht”

iao like “eow” in “meow”

ie like “ye” in “yes”

iou like “you”

in like “in” in “tin”

iang like “young”

ing like “ing” in “sting”

iong combination of i and ong

ua combination of u and a

uo like “wa” in “watt”

uai like “why”

uei like “wai” in “wait”

uan like “wan” in “swan”

uen like “when”

uang like “wan” in “want”

ueng combination of u and eng

üe combination of ü and short ei

üan combination of ü and an

ün like “une” in French

Initials

Chinese  have 23 intials ( include y and w )

b	p	m	f		d	t	n	l
g	k	h			j	q	x
zh	ch	sh	r		z	c	s
y	w

b   like  “b”   in  “baby”

p   like  “p”   in  “pool”

m  like  “m” in  “mother”

f    like   “f”   in  “father”

d   like  “d”  in  “day”

t    like  “t”   in  “tea”

n   like  “n”  in  “nice”

l    like   “l”   in  “look”

g   like   “g”  in  “girl”

k   like   “k”  in  “kite”

h   like   “h”  in  “her”

j    like   “g”   in  “genius”

q   like   “ch”   in  "cheat", strongly aspirated/ emphasised.

x    like   “s”   in    “see”

zh   like   “j”     in  “job”

ch   like   “ch”  in  “church”

sh   like   “sh”  in  “shape”

r      like    “r”   in   “rice”

y     like    “y”   in  “yes”

w    like   “w”   in  “wood”

Why learn Chinese?

1. Traditional Chinese culture is cool!
2. Chinese is the language of nearly 1/4 of the world's population.
3. To be equipped for future opportunities.
4. Travelling to China.
5. China as the potentially biggest global market in the 21st century.
6. Have Chinese-speaking family and friends.
7. Knowledge in Chinese is very helpful when doing business in China and easier build better relations with Chinese partners.