Mandarin - BLHL1212

Hànyǔ pīnyīn
汉语拼音
CHINESE “PINYIN” SYSTEM

Cheong Kar Mee

cheongkm@utem.edu.my
 Learning Outcome

At the end of the lesson, students will be able

to:
• Identify the category of Chinese syllables.
• Identify the tone modification of a syllable in
Mandarin.
 The category of syllables
音节的类别(yīnjié de lèibié)
1. Initial + final + tone
shì (is, are)

2. Initial + final
ma (partical)

3. Final + tone
ó (oh)

4. Final
a (ah)
Tones modification of third tone syllables

When there are two third tone syllables

occur, the first syllable will be changed
to the second tone in pronunciation.
For example:

你好 (hello) nǐ hǎo ní hǎo

水果 (fruits) shuǐguǒ shuíguǒ
可以 (can) kěyǐ kéyǐ
 Tones modification of the character of
不(bù)
Tone for 不(bù) is in its original tone which is 4th
tone when it is pronounced in isolation. For
example:

不(bù) → no
When不(bù) is followed by a 1st, 2nd or 3rd tone
syllable, it will also be pronounced in the 4th tone.
For example:

我不听你的(Wǒ bùtīng nǐde)

→ I’m not going to listen to you.

他不来了(Tā bùlái le)

→ He’ s not coming.

我不懂(Wǒ bùdǒng)
→ I don’t understand.
When不(bù) is followed by a 4th tone syllable, it
will be pronounced in the 2nd tone. For example:

我不去了(Wǒ búqù le)

→ I’m not going.
When 不 (bù) is placed in between the repeated
verb, it is pronounced in neutral tone. For
example:

你吃不吃晚餐(Nǐ chī bu chī wǎncān)

→ Do you want to have your dinner?
 Tones modification of the character of
一(yī)
Tone for一(yī) is in its original tone which is 1st tone
when it is pronounced in isolation. For example:

一(yī) → one

一(yī) will be remained in the 1st tone when it is placed

at the end of a compound word or sentences. For
example:

第一(dìyī) → first place

When一(yī) is followed by a 4th tone syllable, it
will be pronounced in the 2nd tone. For example:

我一个人去(Wǒ yígè rén qù)

→ I’m going alone.
Tone for一(yī) is pronounced in fourth tone when it
is followed by a 1st , 2nd or 3rd tone syllable. For
example:

我喝一杯茶(Wǒ hē yìbēi chá)

→ I have a cup of tea.

他念小学一年级 (Tā niàn xiǎoxué yìniánjí )

→ He’s in primary one.

榴莲是一种水果(Liúlián shì yìzhǒng shuǐguǒ)

→Durian is a kind of fruit.
When一(yī) is between the repeated verb, it is
pronounced in neutral tone. For example:

请看一看(Qǐng kàn yi kàn)

→ Please have a look.
 Practice
不(bù) no
不听(bùtīng) not listening
不来(bùlái) not coming
不懂( bùdǒng) don’t understand
不去( búqù) not going
吃不吃( chī bu chī) eating or not
喝不喝（hē bu hē) drinking or not
一(yī) one
第一(dìyī) first
一个(yígè) a/ an
一杯(yìbēi) a cup of
一年级(yìnián) primary one
一种( yìzhǒng) a kind of
看一看( kàn yi kàn) have a look
 Xièxie
谢谢
Thank you