音节：声母 + 韵母 + 声调
A syllable = initial + final + tone
Structure
声母 + 韵母 + 声调
What it means
Every Chinese character is one syllable, built from up to three parts: an initial (the consonant at the start), a final (the rest of the sound) and a tone.
How it is built
Initial + final + tone: 妈 mā = m + a + 1st tone (mum). The final is a vowel sound, sometimes ending in n or ng: 人 rén = r + en. Some syllables have no initial: 我 wǒ.
When to use it
Use it to read any pinyin: find the initial, then the final, then the tone mark. Each character is one such syllable, so 你好 nǐ hǎo is two syllables.
Watch out
The tone is not optional: without it the syllable is not finished. m + a can be four different words (mā, má, mǎ, mà), so learn every syllable with its tone.
Examples
妈
mā = m + a + 1st tone: “mum”
人
rén = r + en + 2nd tone: “person”
好
hǎo = h + ao + 3rd tone: “good”
我
wǒ = no initial + uo (spelt wo) + 3rd tone: “I”
Learn this in 启蒙 · Lesson 1: 你好 (The four tones)
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 →