Facts About Chinese Pronunciation And Pinyin Infographic

Facts About Chinese Pronunciation and Pinyin Infographic

All the dry facts about Chinese pronunciation put together in one visually engaging infographic.

A number of blog posts will elaborate on it in more details. Stay tuned, and enjoy this masterpiece in the meanwhile.

If you like it, please share.

Facts About Chinese Pronunciation and Pinyin Infographic

 

Transcript of this infographic

Facts About Chinese Pronunciation In Plain English

3 Reasons For Learning Pronunciation First

  1. Have the most solid foundation for your Chinese learning
  2. Instant Payback. Be understood from day 1
  3. No need for unlearning bad pronunciation at a later time

3 vs 4 Pronunciation. The Easy And The Hard

Easy

  1. Pronunciation systematized in pinyin makes it learnable
  2. Just 30 basic sounds to learn
  3. Only 9 tongue positions for consonant sounds

 Hard

  1.  Distinction between similar sounds
  2. 4 tones add a new dimension for most foreigners
  3. 3 sounds of tonguesplitting
  4. 4 sounds of tonguefolding

There is a Chinese word for these 4 sounds, which translates: Roll Tongue Sound.

For that reason, many Chinese actually think these sounds are made by rolling up your tongue like a springroll and almost swallow it. Don't choke!

3 vs 3 Pinyin. The Easy And The Hard

Easy

  1. No need to learn strange phonetic symbols
  2. Pinyin fluency* can be achieved quickly. *) However without proper training only non-Chinese will understand.
  3. Masterable. A comparison with English.

Phonetic Symbols.

Pinyin: 28, English: 44

Number of Syllables:

Pinyin: 400+, English: 12.000+

Hard

  1.  Learn ABC again
  2. The fake 'I'
  3. 'Ü' the treacherous

5 common misconceptions

Myth #1

Due to the tones singing in Chinese is impossible

Truth

Tones are relatively ignored in songs (context makes up for it) 

Myth #2

Pinyin is just like pidgin but for Chinese 

Truth 

Pinyin is a phonetic system. Not a compromised version of Chinese

Myth #3

J is pronounced exactly as in Jeep

Truth

This myth is an oversimplification. It is one of many quick but incorrect explanations of how to read pinyin. Use the Standard Mandarin software to learn it right.

Myth #4

CHI and CHE is the same thing.

Truth

Yes to the untrained foreign ear they may sound alike (but they are not)

Myth #5

Accidentally using a wrong tone will almost definitely cause a misunderstanding

Truth

In most cases it is a matter of being understood or not. Only rarely will context allow for a misunderstanding

Why Bother Learn Correct Pronunciation?

Weightier than anything

The Chinese prefer to understand the little you can say, rather than a foreigner babbling away with lots of odd sounds.

(Grammar, Vocabulary and Idioms vs Pronunciation) 

Correct Pronunciation Will Get You Tons of Praise

The Chinese happily praise proper pronunciation. See below what that will do for you.

Put yourself at the center of: Cycle of Praise

  1. Receive Praise. Who wouldn't feel great with all that praise? It's deserved of course!
  2. Joy Boost. Your joy in learning Chinese is boosted
  3. Motivation. Your joy boost instantly turns into motivation
  4. Study On. Being greatly motivated, you just can't help studying on.

Become a Pinyin-Superhero

Free Chinese learning material

www.StandardMandarin.com

  • Learn pinyin
  • Lots of Chinese phrases
  • And much more


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Comments

Brian Talbot
Dienstag, 1. Oktober 2013 at 03:22:45

Great

Reply
jette
Dienstag, 1. Oktober 2013 at 03:55:34

Encouraging

Reply
Zeta Vincent
Dienstag, 1. Oktober 2013 at 08:09:06

Wow! It's awesome where we're you 5 years ago? I live in Sichuan so sometimes my tones and words turn into sichuanhua, would love to be more 标准。

Reply
Allen Jennings
Mittwoch, 2. Oktober 2013 at 03:35:57

Have an old I-pad would like to know if the lesson would down load on newer I phone 5

Reply
Joel Hansen
Samstag, 5. Oktober 2013 at 04:57:06

Yes, the Standard Mandarin iPhone app will work on your iPhone 5.

It can also be installed on your older iPad, it will only use part of the screen though. The real Standard Mandarin iPad app is in the making.

Reply
Huxley Galbraith
Freitag, 4. Oktober 2013 at 05:38:14

I have not really determined what to do with what you have showwed me. It appears to be missing something you know the thing that will help me learn the proper pinyin pronounciation. Just don't see clearly the path you are taking yet.

Reply
Joel Hansen
Samstag, 5. Oktober 2013 at 05:07:54

Thank you for your comment! I see what you mean. I'll be considering how to improve it, to make its purpose a little clearer.

It is not meant to actually teach Chinese pronunciation and pinyin. It is more like a visual overview of some of the truths about Chinese pronunciation and pinyin.

This infographic aims at making some rather dry facts slightly more amusing.

Reply
Yvonne
Montag, 14. Oktober 2013 at 06:52:10

I love keep it coming

Reply
Tony and Luisa
Mittwoch, 15. Januar 2014 at 04:23:32

Great! teaching aid. Thank you.

Reply
John Huang
Donnerstag, 29. Oktober 2015 at 10:28:13

Myth #1

Due to the tones singing in Chinese is impossible

Truth

Tones are relatively ignored in songs (context makes up for it).

IT DOES HAVE MORE TROUBLES THAN SINGING IN ENGLISH.

Myth #2

Pinyin is just like pidgin but for Chinese

Truth

Pinyin is a phonetic system. Not a compromised version of Chinese

ACTUALLY, PIDGIN FOR CHINESE IS RIGHT FOR PINYIN.

Myth #3

J is pronounced exactly as in Jeep

Truth

This myth is an oversimplification. It is one of many quick but incorrect explanations of how to read pinyin. Use the Standard Mandarin software to learn it right.

HOW ABOUT TO PRONOUNCE IT AS "dsi" ?

Myth #4

CHI and CHE is the same thing.

Truth

Yes to the untrained foreign ear they may sound alike (but they are not)

THE PRONUNCIATION OF THESETWO WORDS ARE BETTER REPRESENTED BY BOPOMOFO SYSTEM. YOU MAY TRY IT.

Myth #5

Accidentally using a wrong tone will almost definitely cause a misunderstanding

Truth

In most cases it is a matter of being understood or not. Only rarely will context allow for a misunderstanding

THAT IS TRUE, BUT, INSTEAD OF MISUNDERSTANDING, IN MOST CASES IT IS A MATTER OF GUESSING OR TOTALLY NO COMMUNICATION AND YOU HAVE TO TRY DIFFERENT TONES TO GO THROUGH.

Reply
Wayne
Samstag, 25. Februar 2017 at 13:17:58

I would like to know more?

Reply
Wayne
Samstag, 25. Februar 2017 at 13:18:16

I would like to know more?

Reply
Ndoro
Dienstag, 20. Juni 2017 at 03:05:21

learnt a lot.

Reply
MICHAEL
Sonntag, 17. September 2017 at 13:00:38

I really like the page. pls. I really want to learn Chinese language as a foreign language, but I find it difficult because am an English speaking person from Africa. Is there any simpler way you can guide me in for me to learn it easier? God bless you

Reply
Trần Phiên Thuỷ
Sonntag, 8. April 2018 at 18:02:17

I like it!

Reply
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