Medical Chinese Session 1

Agenda
1. Learn pinyin basics
2. Learn tones
3. Introduction

Pinyin basics

Chinese pinyin pronunciation: initials

b p m f d t n
l z c s zh ch sh
r j q x g k h

Chinese pinyin pronunciation: finals

i u
a ia ua
o uo
e ie e
ai uai
ei uei
ao iao
ou iou
an ian uan an
en in uen n
ang iang uang
eng ing ueng
ong iong

1. Usage of y and w
When there is no initial sound before a final sound starting with i, y is added as an initial sound.
For example:
ia - ya ie -ye iao -yao
iou -you ian -yan iang -yang
iong -yong

If there is no vowel after i, y is added before i.

For example:
i - yi in -yin ing -ying

When there is no initial sound before final sound starting with u, w is added as an initial sound.
For example:
ua - wa uo -wo uai -wai
uei - wei uan - wan uen - wen
uang - wang ueng - weng

If there is no vowel after u, w is added before u.

For example:
u - wu

When there is no initial sound before final sound starting with , y is added as an initial sound.
For example:
- yu e - yue an - yuan
n -yun

2. Usage of mark
When syllables starting with a, o, e follow other syllables, a mark is used to separate different words.

For example:
min ge xian
ming e xi an

3. Abbreviations
Abbreviations of iou, uei and uen
When there is an initial sound before iou, uei and uen, they are abbreviated as iu, ui and un.
For Example:
niou - niu guei - gui luen -lun

When initials other than n and l proceed finals starting with , changes to u.
n - n l - l j - ju q - qu

When uo follows initials b, p, m, or f, u is dropped, resulting in bo, po, mo, or fo.

buo - bo puo - po muo -mo fuo - fo

Tones

Tone Marks Characteristics Example

1st - Leveled d
2nd / Rising d
3rd Dipped d
4th \ Falling d

Practice:
mma (mother) yye (grandfather) ninai (grandmother) bba (father)
gge (brother) wwa (doll) jijie (older sister) mimei (younger sister)
zhuzi (table) fngzi (house) bnzi (booklet) jngzi (mirror)
jnzi (gold) ynzi (silver) zoshang (morning) dshang (floor)
dngzi (nail) minhua (cotton) yngzi (shadow) ynzi (swallow)

When two consecutive words both have third tones, pronounce the first word with a second tone.
For example:
n ho (hello)

Introduction

Chinese English Notes

n ho Hello
nn ho Hello (more formal)
w jio _____ My name is ______
xi xie Thank you
b k q Youre welcome
zi jin Good bye
du b q Sorry
mi gun xi Its ok
lng Zero
y One
r Two
sn Three
s Four
w Five
li Six
q Seven
b Eight
ji Nine
sh Ten
sh y Eleven = ten + one
sh r Twelve = ten + two
And so on

r sh Twenty = two ten

sn sh Thirty = three ten
And so on
bi Hundred
y bi One hundred
ling bi Two hundred
nin Year
yu Month
ho/ r Day
r lng y li nin ji yu sh w September 15th 2016
ho/ r Literal translation: Two zero one
six year nine month fifteen day