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Pronunciation

an[ɑn]

In Chinese Pinyin, an is a simple and straightforward sound combination.

How to Pronounce an in Pinyin:

• Sound: The an sound is similar to the "an" in the English word "man" or "can", but with a slightly different articulation.

• Mouth Position:

1. Start by pronouncing a like the "ah" sound in "father".

2. Then end with the n sound, like the "n" in "net" or "man".

3. The a is a bit more open and relaxed compared to the English "a" sound.

Phonetic Representation:

• The Pinyin an is pronounced as /ɑn/, similar to the "an" in "man" or "can", but a bit more relaxed.

Example Words with an:

• 安 (ān) – peace or safe

• 岸 (àn) – bank (of a river)

• 单 (dān) – single or one

Tips for Pronunciation:

• an is a simple syllable and the a should be open like "ah" in "father", not like the more closed "a" sound in English words like "cat".

• The n sound should be clear, like the "n" in English words such as "man" or "net".

Special Notes:

• The tone is important in Mandarin, as different tones can change the meaning of the word entirely.

• In some dialects, especially in the northern Mandarin dialect, the an sound may be pronounced with a bit more nasal quality, but in standard Mandarin, it is relatively clear and straightforward.

By practicing the an sound with a clear "ah" followed by a crisp "n", you'll be able to pronounce words like 安 (ān) and 岸 (àn) accurately!

Tones of syllables created by an
Vowel
1st Tone
2nd Tone
3rd Tone
4th Tone
Neutral Tone
an ān án ǎn àn an

Pronunciation

en[ən]

In Chinese Pinyin, en is a simple vowel combination.

How to Pronounce en in Pinyin:

• Sound: The en sound is similar to the "un" in English words like "fun" or "sun, but with a slightly different mouth position.

• Mouth Position:

1. Start by pronouncing e like the "uh" sound in the English word "sofa" or "but" (not the "ee" sound).

2. Then, end with the n sound, like the "n" in "net" or "man".

3. The e sound should be soft, not overly pronounced, and it has a neutral, relaxed sound.

Phonetic Representation:

• The Pinyin en is pronounced as /ən/, similar to the "un" sound in "fun" or "sun".

Example Words with en:

• 恩 (ēn) – grace or kindness

• 根 (gēn) – root

• 真 (zhēn) – true

Tips for Pronunciation:

• en is a simple combination, and the e should sound like the "uh" in "sofa" rather than the English "ee".

• Make sure to pronounce the n clearly, similar to the "n" in "net" or "man".

Special Notes:

• en is considered a neutral vowel sound in Mandarin, so it is usually not stressed, and it has a relaxed, unstressed quality.

• Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing en, as it can significantly change the meaning of the word. For example, 恩 (ēn) means "grace," and 根 (gēn) means "root."

By practicing the en sound, with the relaxed "uh" followed by a clear "n", you'll be able to pronounce words like 恩 (ēn) and 根 (gēn) accurately!

Tones of syllables created by en
Vowel
1st Tone
2nd Tone
3rd Tone
4th Tone
Neutral Tone
en ēn én ěn èn en

Pronunciation

in[in]

In Chinese Pinyin, in is a simple syllable combination.

How to Pronounce in in Pinyin:

• Sound: The in sound is similar to the "een" sound in English, like in the word "seen", but with a slightly different mouth position.

• Mouth Position:

1. Start by pronouncing i like the "ee" in "see".

2. Then add the n sound, like the "n" in "net" or "man".

3. The i sound should be clear and the n sound should be crisp.

Phonetic Representation:

• The Pinyin in is pronounced as /in/, similar to the "een" in "seen".

Example Words with in:

• 贫 (pín) – poor

• 心 (xīn) – heart

• 近 (jìn) – near

Tips for Pronunciation:

• in is a simple sound combination, and the i should be pronounced clearly, similar to the "ee" sound in "see".

• The n sound is pronounced just like the English "n" in "net", and it is important to keep it crisp and clear.

Special Notes:

• Mandarin pronunciation typically keeps vowels like i pure and unmodified, so in should not sound like "in" in the English word "win".

• As with all Mandarin words, the tone is very important. For example, 贫 (pín) has a rising tone and means "person," but 近 (jìn) with a falling tone means "near."

By practicing the in sound with a clear "ee" and a crisp "n", you'll be able to pronounce words like 贫 (pín) and 心 (xīn) accurately!

Tones of syllables created by in
Vowel
1st Tone
2nd Tone
3rd Tone
4th Tone
Neutral Tone
in īn ín ǐn ìn in
in yīn yín yǐn yìn yin

Pronunciation

un[ʊn]

In Chinese Pinyin, un is a syllable combination that is pronounced a bit differently from English.

How to Pronounce un in Pinyin:

• Sound: The un sound is similar to the "oon" in English, like in the word "moon", but with a more neutral, relaxed "u" sound.

• Mouth Position:

1. Start by pronouncing u like the "oo" in "moon" or "boot", but it should not be as long or intense as the English oo.

2. Then add the n sound, like the "n" in "net" or "man".

3. The u should have a relaxed quality, and the transition into the n sound should be smooth.

Phonetic Representation:

• The Pinyin un is pronounced as /ʊn/, similar to the "oon" in "moon", but with a slightly shorter and more neutral sound for the u.

Example Words with un:

• 春 (chūn) – spring

• 困 (kùn) – sleepy

• 损 (sǔn) – to damage

Tips for Pronunciation:

• The u in un should sound like the "oo" in "moon", but keep it slightly more relaxed and not as prolonged.

• The n sound should be clear and crisp, just like in English words such as "net" or "man".

• un should not sound like the English "un" in words like "fun" or "bun", as the u sound in those words is a different vowel sound.

Special Notes:

• As with all Mandarin words, the tone is crucial. For example, 春 (chūn) has a level tone and means "spring" while 困 (kùn) with a falling tone means "sleepy".

• The u sound in un is relatively short and more neutral compared to English, so avoid elongating it too much.

By practicing the un sound with a short, neutral "oo" and a clear "n", you’ll be able to pronounce words like 春 (chūn) and 困 (kùn) accurately!

Tones of syllables created by un
Vowel
1st Tone
2nd Tone
3rd Tone
4th Tone
Neutral Tone
un ūn ún ǔn ùn un
un wēn wén wěn wèn wen

Pronunciation

ün[yn]

In Chinese Pinyin, ün is a syllable combination that involves the ü sound followed by n.

How to Pronounce ün in Pinyin:

• Sound: The ün sound is similar to the "uen" sound in words like "uen" in "hue", but the ü sound is pronounced with rounded lips, which makes it different from the typical "ee" sound in English.

• Mouth Position:

1. Start by pronouncing ü like the "ee" in "see", but with your lips rounded (similar to the French or German "ü" sound).

2. Then add the n sound, like the "n" in "net" or "man".

3. The transition from ü to n should be smooth, and the n sound should be crisp.

Phonetic Representation:

• The Pinyin ün is pronounced as /yn/, similar to the "uen" sound in "hue" or "due", but with the lips rounded for the ü sound.

Example Words with ün:

• 云 (yún) – cloud

• 寻 (xún) – to search or to look for

• 军 (jūn) – military

Tips for Pronunciation:

• The ü sound is key to pronouncing ün correctly. It is made by saying "ee" but rounding your lips, as in French or German.

• Once you’ve pronounced the ü sound, smoothly transition to the n sound, which should be clear and crisp.

• Don’t confuse the ü with the regular u sound in Mandarin, which is pronounced like "oo" in "moon". ü has a distinct rounded "ee" sound.

Special Notes:

• ün is a relatively rare combination in Mandarin, and it is important to focus on the mouth position for ü, as this sound does not exist in standard English pronunciation.

• The tone plays an important role. For example, 云 (yún) with a rising tone means "cloud," and 寻 (xún) with a rising tone means "to search."

By practicing ün with a rounded "ee" sound followed by a clear "n", you'll be able to pronounce words like 云 (yún) and 寻 (xún) accurately!

Tones of syllables created by ün
Vowel
1st Tone
2nd Tone
3rd Tone
4th Tone
Neutral Tone
ün ǖn ǘn ǚn ǜn ün
ün yūn yún yǔn yùn yun
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