Initials and finals in Chinese - 声母和韵母
Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 8:13 pm
A sylllable in the common speech of modern Chinese usually consist of an initial, which is consonant that begins the syllable, and a final, which constitutes the rest of the syllable. For example, in the syllable “píng”, “p” is the initial and “íng” is the final.
A syllable can stand without an final, such as “y”, but a syllable must have a final.
In the common speech of modern Chinese, there are 21 initials and 38 finals altogether.
Initials: m, n, l, p are pronounced similarly to their counterparts in the English language:
- b like “p” in “speak”(unaspirated, voiceless)
- p like “p” in “park”(asp)
A syllable can stand without an final, such as “y”, but a syllable must have a final.
In the common speech of modern Chinese, there are 21 initials and 38 finals altogether.
Initials: m, n, l, p are pronounced similarly to their counterparts in the English language:
- b like “p” in “speak”(unaspirated, voiceless)
- p like “p” in “park”(asp)