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[FrenchVanillaNYC]

Since I wanted to share my method of learning Chinese, I made this thread.

This is the revised version.

Learn with me or help me learn.


PRONUNCIATION KEY

I linked the sound clips from websites I found.

I made my own romanizations and pronunciation keys for Mandarin and Cantonese, so here they go:


Mandarin:

TONES:

I'm going to put numbers after a word to indicate tone.

1st tone =High, even tone
2nd tone =Rising tone
3rd tone =Low dipping tone
4th tone = Short falling tone

Consonants:

B = regular "B" as in "boy" ("Ba3" - to grab/a handful)
P = regular "P" as in "pond" ("Pee2" - skin)
M = regular "M" as in "man" ("Ma4" - to curse at)
F = regular "F" as in "fun" (Foo2 - good luck)
D = regular "D" as in "dog" (Da4 - large)
T = regular "T" as in "top" (Tuh4 - special)
N = regular "N" in Mandarin as in "no" (Nee3 - you)
L = regular "L" as in "low" (Lyü4 - green)
G = regular "G" as in "go" (Guh4 - measure word for single things)
K = "K" as in "Kid" (Koo4 - storage place)
H = somewhat gutteral, similar to "kh" in Arabic or the German "r" (Ha1 - laugh/breathe out)
Rh = no English equivalent; combine "Y", "J" and "R" (Rhuh4 - hot) "R" in pinyin
Shy = like English "she" (Shyü2 - last name) "X" in pinyin
Jy = like English "gee" (Jyü4 - office)
Chy = as in "cheese" (Chyee2 - flag) "Q" in pinyin
Ts' = like the "TS" in "its", sometimes sounds like "Ch'"(Tsih4 -times) "C" in pinyin
Ch' = like the "Ch" in "chirp"; also sounds like "TS" at times (Chuh1 - car)
Sh' = like the "Sh" in "show"; also pronounced like "S" at times (Shih4 - to be)
Zh' = like the "J" in "jerk; also sounds like "Z" at times (Zhoo4 - to stay at)
S = regular "S" as in "sand" (Suh4-color)
Z = like the "DS" in "nods", sometimes sounds like "Zh" (Zoo3 - group)

Er = sounds like the word "are" by itself, is an "r" after another word.

Then there's "Y" and "W", but I don't think they need to be explained.

Vowel Endings:
-a= "ah" as in "ma"
-(y)ee = as in "see" i in pinyin
-eh = as in "yeah" e in pinyin
-oa = as in "boa" o in pinyin
-uh = as in "took" e in pinyin
-oh = as in "go" ou in pinyin
-(w)oo = as in "tune" u in pinyin
-(y)ü = like French "tu"
-ai= as in "eye"
-au = as in "now" ao in pinyin
-ay = as in "lay" ei in pinyin

Combination Endings

-an
-uhn -en in pinyin
-een -in in pinyin
-ueen -ün in pinyin

-ahng
-ong
-uhng -eng in pinyin
-ing

Some people wanted pinyin instead of this romanization, so I will give the corresponding pinyin to each word in my method of romanization if my way is differen.

My romanization = left
Pinyin = right

Ahng = Ang
Au= Ao
Bahng = Bang
Bau = Bao
Bay = Bei
Bee = Bi
Been = Bin
Beeng = Bing
Boa = Bo
Boo = Bu
Bow = Bao
Byeh = Bie
Byau = Biao
Byen = Bian
Chahng = Chang
Chih = Chi
Chau = Chao
Choh = Chou
Choo = Chu
Chuh = Che
Chuhn = Chen
Chuhng = Cheng
Chway = Chui
Chwoa = Chuo
Chwun = Chun
Chyah = Qia
Chyahng = Qiang
Chyeen = Qin
Chyeeng = Qing
Chyau = Qiao
Chyeh = Qie
Chyoh = Qiu
Chyong = Qiong
Chyü = Qu
Chyüan = Quan
Chyüeh = Que
Chyween = Qun
Dau = Dao
Day = Dei
Dee = Di
Deeng = Ding
Doh = Dou
Doo = Du
Duh = De
Duhng = Deng
Dwan = Duan
Dway = Dui
Dwoa = Duo
Dwun = Dun
Dyau = Diao
Dyeh = Die
Dyen = Dian
Dyoh = Diu
Fahng = Fang
Foa = Fo
Foh = Fou
Foo = Fu
Gahng = Gang
Gay = Gei
Guh = Ge
Guhn = Gen
Guhng = Geng
Goh = Gou
Goo = Gu
Gwah = Gua
Gwahng = Guang
Gway = Gui
Gwoa = Guo
Gwun = Gun
Hahng = Hang
Hay = Hei
Hau = Hao
Hoh = Hou
Huh = He
Huhn = Hen
Hwah = Hua
Hwahng = Huang
Hway = Hui
Hwoa = Huo
Hwun = Hun
Hoo = Hu
Jah = Zha
Jang = Zhang
Jau = Zhao
Jay = Zhei
Jih = Zhi
Joh = Zhou
Joo = Zhu
Juh = Zhe
Juhn = Zhen
Jwah = Zhua
Jween = Jun
Jwan = Zhuan
Jwoa = Zhuo
Jwun = Zhun
Jyah = Jia
Jyahng = Jiang
Jyau = Jiao
Jyeh = Jie
Jyee = Ji
Jyeen = Jin
Jyeeng = Jing
Jyen = Jian
Jyoh = Jiu
Jyü = Ju
Jyüan = Juan
Jyüeh = Jue
Kahng = Kang
Koh = Kou
Koo = Ku
Kuh = Ke
Kuhn = Ken
Kuhng = Keng
Kwahng = Kuang
Kway = Kui
Kwoa = Kuo
Lahng = Lang
Lay = Lei
Lee = Li
Leen = Lin
Leeng = Ling
Loh = Lou
Luh = Le
Luhng = Leng
Lwan = Luan
Lwun = Lun
Lyahng = Liang
Lyau = Liao
Lyeh = Lie
Lyoh = Liu
Lyü = Lü
Lyüeh = Lüe
Mahng = Mang
Mee = Mi
Meeng = Ming
Moh = Mou
Muh = Me
Myeh = Mie
Nahng = Nang
Nau = Nao
Nee = Ni
Neen = Nin
Neeng = Ning
Nuh = Ne
Nuhng = Neng
Noo = Nu
Nyeh = Nie
Nyoh = Niu
Nyü = Nü
Oa = O
Oh = Ou
Pahng = Pang
Pay = Pei
Pee = Pi
Peen = Pin
Peeng = Ping
Poa = Po
Poh = Pou
Poo = Pu
Puhn = Pen
Pyau = Piao
Pyeh = Pie
Pyen = Pian
Rhan = Ran
Rhahng = Rang
Rhau = Rao
Rhoh = Rou
Rhoo = Ru
Rhuh = Re
Sahng = Sang
Shahng = Shang
Shay = Shei
Shih = Shi
Shoh = Shou
Shuh = She
Shuhn = Shen
Shuhng = Sheng
Shwahng = Shuang
Shway = Shui
Shwun = Shun
Shyah = Xia
Shyahng = Xiang
Shyau = Xiao
Shyee = Xi
Shyeh = Xie
Shyen = Xian
Shyü = Xu
Shyüan = Xuan
Shyüeh = Xue
Shyween = Xun
Sih = Si
Soh = Sou
Soo = Su
Suh = Se
Sway = Sui
Tahng = Tang
Tee = Ti
Teeng = Ting
Toh = Tou
Tuh = Te
Tsah = Ca
Tsan = Can
Tsahng = Cang
Tsong = Cong
Tsoo = Cu
Tsau = Cao
Tsih = Ci
Tsuhng = Ceng
Tsway = Cui
Tswoa = Cuo
Tswun = Cun
Tway = Tui
Twoa = Tuo
Twun = Tun
Tyeh = Tie
Tyen = Tian
Uh = E
Uhn = En
Wahng = Wang
Way = Wei
Wuhn = Wen
Wuhng = Weng
Woa = Wo
Woo = Wu
Yahng = Yan
Yau = Yao
Yeh = Ye
Yee = Yi
Yeen = Yin
Yeeng = Ying
Yoh = You
Yüeh = Yue
Yween = Yun
Zahng = Zang
Zau = Zao
Zih = Zi
Zoh = Zou
Zoo = Zu
Zuh = Ze
Zuhng = Zeng
Zway = Zui
Zwoa = Zuo
Zwun = Zun

Cantonese:

Tones:
(I'm putting 6 main tones)

1 = high even tone
2 = high rising tone
3 = middle even tone; hardly no tone at all
4 = middle falling tone (like the tone most English sentences end with)
5 = low rising tone (like the tone most English sentences end with)
6 = low falling tone

Consonants:

B,P,M,F,D,T, L, G, K,S = same as Mandarin
N = pronounced like "L" (Naam4 - male); occasionally actually pronounced like an "N"
H = like English "h" (Ha5 - down)
Ch = like "Ch" in "chick", sometimes is "ts" (Cheen4 - front)
Zh = like "J' in "jam", sometimes is "Z"(Jeh2 - older sister)
Ng = like the "ng" in "doing";sometimes sounds like "mm"

Vowels:

*"Ng" is often put in front of the beginning of vowels but isn't always necessary

-ah
-ai = like "eye"
-aai = long "ai"
-ay = like "ay" in "hay"
-au = like the "ow" in "now"
-aau = long "-au"
-eh = sounds like the "eah" in "yeah" Cheh1- car)
-ee = like "ee" in "pee" "-i" in jyutpin-eew = sonds like the "ew" in "few" (Yeew3 - will/want) "-iu" in jyutpin
-euh = like the "er" in "her" (Teuh3 - to spit)
-o = like the "ough" in "thought"(Ngo5 - me)
-oh
-oi
-eui = no English equivalent; sounds like "uh-ee" put together(Heui3 - to go)
-ui = sounds like "ooee" (Wui6 - can/will)
-u
-yü = like French "tu"(Yü5 - rain)

*Words that end in "k", "p", and "t" sound like English words that have those endings.

-an = like (Yan4 -person)
-ahn = long "-an"
-on = sounds like "on"
-eun = kind of rhymes with "bun" (Cheun1 - spring)

Radicals coming soon.

[Eclectic Asian]

i like your personal romanizations, it helps me pronounce the real pinyin

btw, more questions!

早 means early right?? and 你早 means "good morning" right???

ok let me get a clarification on this. 华人 is for overseas chinese and 中国人 is for chinese living in china correct???

also, my teacher said "了" is very hard for foreigners to understand. why is that?? all i know is that it can't be used by itself and it modifies the tense???

take the phrase 我来晚了。the 了 makes it past tense??? also, the 来 doesn't have to be there right?? since 晚了 works as well right? but then again i think the 来 is needed to emphasize the verb of coming late. "i came late".

argh i'm so confused....help!!!

EDIT: btw, is the top part of 华 supposed to be the human/person radical and seven (七）????

谢谢你!

This post has been edited by Eclectic Asian: Oct 10 2005, 09:48 PM