Simple Finals
The six basic vowel sounds. These are the building blocks from which all compound and nasal finals are formed.
| Final | IPA | Pronunciation | Example |
|---|
| a | /a/ | Open 'ah' sound — like 'a' in 'father' | 啊ā
(exclamation) |
| o | /o/ | Rounded 'oh' sound — lips form a circle, as in 'or' | 我wǒ
I, me |
| e | /ɤ/ | No English equivalent — unrounded back vowel; mouth half-open, tongue back | 了le
(aspect particle) |
| i | /i / ɨ/ | After j/q/x/y: like 'ee' in 'see'. After zh/ch/sh/r/z/c/s: a buzzy syllabic consonant with no real vowel | 是shì
is, are, am |
| u | /u/ | Like 'oo' in 'moon' — round lips tightly | 不bù
not, no |
| ü | /y/ | No English equivalent — say 'ee' (i) then round your lips into a tight 'oo' shape | 鱼yú
fish |
The ü challenge:English has no ü sound. To produce it: say a sustained “ee” (as in “see”), keep your tongue in exactly that position, then slowly round your lips into a tight “oo” shape. The result is ü. This appears in words like 鱼 yú (fish), 绿 lǜ (green), 女 nǚ (female).
Compound Finals
Diphthongs and vowel combinations. Some are abbreviated spellings of three-vowel sequences.
| Final | IPA | Pronunciation | Example |
|---|
| ai | /ai̯/ | Like English 'eye' — 'a' gliding into 'i' | 爱ài
love |
| ei | /ei̯/ | Like English 'way' without the 'w' — 'e' gliding into 'i' | 美měi
beautiful |
| ui | /u̯ei/ | A compressed form of -uei: 'oo-ay'. The 'e' is present but weak | 对duì
correct, right |
| ao | /au̯/ | Like 'ow' in 'cow' — 'a' gliding into 'o/u' | 好hǎo
good |
| ou | /ou̯/ | Like 'oh' gliding into 'oo' — similar to 'oh' in British English | 走zǒu
walk, leave |
| iu | /i̯ou/ | A compressed form of -iou: 'ee-oh'. Starts with 'i', glides to 'ou' | 六liù
six |
| ie | /i̯e/ | Like 'ye' in 'yes' — 'i' gliding into a clear open 'e' | 学xué
study |
| üe | /y̯e/ | Starts with ü (rounded ee) then glides into open 'e' | 月yuè
moon, month |
| er | /ɑɻ/ | A r-coloured vowel — like 'er' in American English 'her' | 二èr
two |
Abbreviations: Two finals are contracted spellings. -ui is actually -uei (the middle vowel is weakened and dropped in spelling but present in pronunciation). Similarly, -iu is actually -iou. When these appear after initials, the full form is always pronounced — e.g. duisounds like “dway”, not “dwee”.
Nasal Finals
Finals ending in -n (alveolar nasal) or -ng (velar nasal). The -n/-ng distinction is crucial — many minimal pairs differ only in this final nasal.
| Final | IPA | Pronunciation | Example |
|---|
| an | /an/ | Like 'an' in 'pan' but the vowel is more open, like 'ah-n' | 安ān
peace, safe |
| en | /ən/ | Like 'un' in 'fun' — a reduced schwa before 'n' | 人rén
person |
| in | /in/ | Like 'een' — clearly 'i' followed by 'n' | 心xīn
heart |
| un | /u̯ən/ | Compressed form of -uen: 'oo-un'. The 'e' is weakened | 春chūn
spring |
| ün | /yn/ | The ü vowel followed by 'n' — rounded 'ee' + n | 云yún
cloud |
| ang | /ɑŋ/ | Like 'ong' in 'song' — open 'ah' followed by velar nasal 'ng' | 上shàng
up, above |
| eng | /əŋ/ | Like 'ung' in 'sung' — schwa vowel + velar nasal | 等děng
wait |
| ing | /iŋ/ | Like English '-ing' suffix — clearly 'i' + velar nasal | 请qǐng
please, invite |
| ong | /ʊŋ/ | Like 'oong' — rounded back vowel + velar nasal. Not the same as English 'ong' | 中zhōng
middle |
-n vs -ng:The alveolar nasal (-n) ends with the tongue touching the ridge behind the upper teeth — the same position as English “n”. The velar nasal (-ng) ends with the back of the tongue raised toward the soft palate — the same as English “ng” in “sing”. Confusing these changes meaning: 分 fēn (minute/divide) vs 风 fēng (wind).