拼音拼写规则
How pinyin is spelt, and where the tone mark goes
Structure
no initial: i → yi/y · u → wu/w · ü → yu · j q x + ü → u · iou uei uen → iu ui un
What it means
Pinyin has spelling rules: some finals are written differently when there is no initial or after certain initials, and the tone mark goes on a fixed vowel.
How it is built
No initial: i → yi/y, u → wu/w, ü → yu (我 wǒ, 语 yǔ, 月 yuè). After j, q, x, ü loses its dots: 去 qù. After an initial, iou, uei, uen → iu, ui, un: 六 liù, 对 duì.
When to use it
Tone mark: on a or e if there is one, on the o of ou, otherwise on the last vowel: jiàn, xiè, guó, liù, duì. After n and l, ü keeps its dots: 女 nǚ, 绿 lǜ.
Watch out
qu, xu, ju and yu each hide a ü, so don't read them with an English “oo”: 去 qù is q + ü. To say ü, round your lips as for “oo” while your tongue says “ee”.
Examples
汉语
Hànyǔ: 语 is the final ü with no initial, so it is spelt yu
我们
wǒmen: 我 is the final uo with no initial, so it is spelt wo
去
qù “to go”: q + ü, spelt qu, because after j, q and x the dots are dropped
六
liù “six”: l + iou, shortened to liu; the mark goes on the last vowel
Learn this in 启蒙 · Lesson 2: 你们好 (Reading pinyin)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. This lesson is free.
Open the lesson →