OPTIONAL REFERENCE
Where the sound begins, how the air moves, and what to try with your mouth.
Place: where the lips or tongue narrow the passage. Manner: closure, friction, nasal flow, or flow around the tongue sides. Voicing: vocal-fold vibration. Aspiration: the breathy interval after release.
The pairs b/p, d/t, g/k, j/q, zh/ch, z/c contrast mainly in aspiration. The first member has little extra breath; the second has a clearer puff. A release burst or hiss is not the same as aspiration.
Catherine Anderson — Classifying consonants · Catherine Anderson — Articulators · Catherine Anderson — Aspirated stops in English
q [t͡ɕʰ] is an aspirated alveolo-palatal affricate: a low tongue tip can coexist with a raised tongue front. ch [ʈ͡ʂʰ] belongs to the postalveolar/retroflex series. An exaggerated backward curl is unnecessary.
Qing is a syllable: q is its initial and ing is its final. The mouth moves through both. Pinyin letters and IPA symbols are different systems.
Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Initial groups · Lee (1999) — Beijing sibilants and approximant
Start with listening and imitation. The details explain a broad teaching model; neighboring sounds and individual speakers affect the exact position.
Both lips · stop · voiceless · unaspirated
Try it: Close both lips, then release with little extra breath.
Airflow: Oral closure → release; nasal route closed. The aspirated partner adds a longer breathy interval before the vowel.
Compare bā with pā; do not require an English voiced b.
University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Catherine Anderson — Articulators · Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Introduction to initials
Both lips · stop · voiceless · aspirated
Try it: Close both lips, then release with a clear puff.
Airflow: Oral closure → release; nasal route closed. The aspirated partner adds a longer breathy interval before the vowel.
Compare pā with bā at similar loudness.
University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Catherine Anderson — Articulators · Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Introduction to initials
Both lips · nasal · voiced
Try it: Close the lips and keep a gentle hum going through the nose.
Airflow: Oral passage sealed; the lowered velum opens the nasal route. Voicing continues.
Unlike b/p, the lip seal can remain while sound continues.
University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Catherine Anderson — Articulators · Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Introduction to initials
Lip and teeth · fricative · voiceless
Try it: Bring the lower lip lightly toward the upper teeth; sustain gentle friction.
Airflow: Continuous oral friction through a narrow gap; nasal route closed.
Do not close both lips as for b/p or deliberately add voicing as in English v.
Catherine Anderson — Classifying consonants · University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Introduction to initials
Teeth/ridge · stop · voiceless · unaspirated
Try it: Close with the tongue front at the upper teeth/ridge, then release with little extra breath.
Airflow: Oral closure → release; nasal route closed. The aspirated partner adds a longer breathy interval before the vowel.
Compare dā with tā; the letter d does not require voicing.
Lee & Zee (2003) — Standard Chinese (Beijing) · Ohio State University — Mandarin IPA charts · University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Introduction to initials
Teeth/ridge · stop · voiceless · aspirated
Try it: Close with the tongue front at the upper teeth/ridge, then release with a clear puff.
Airflow: Oral closure → release; nasal route closed. The aspirated partner adds a longer breathy interval before the vowel.
Keep the placement close to d; change the release-to-vowel timing.
Lee & Zee (2003) — Standard Chinese (Beijing) · Ohio State University — Mandarin IPA charts · University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Introduction to initials
Teeth/ridge · nasal · voiced
Try it: Make a tongue-front seal near the upper teeth/ridge and sustain a nasal hum.
Airflow: Oral passage sealed; the lowered velum opens the nasal route. Voicing continues.
Compare nā with lā: n uses the nose, l uses the sides of the tongue.
Lee & Zee (2003) — Standard Chinese (Beijing) · Ohio State University — Mandarin IPA charts · University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Introduction to initials
Teeth/ridge · lateral approximant · voiced
Try it: Touch the tongue tip near the upper ridge; keep voicing as air passes along the sides.
Airflow: Voiced oral flow around the tongue sides; nasal route closed.
A side-view drawing cannot fully show the lateral passage.
Lee & Zee (2003) — Standard Chinese (Beijing) · Ohio State University — Mandarin IPA charts · University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Introduction to initials
Tongue back · stop · voiceless · unaspirated
Try it: Seal the passage with the tongue back at the soft palate; release with little extra breath.
Airflow: Oral closure → release; nasal route closed. The aspirated partner adds a longer breathy interval before the vowel.
Compare gē with kē; do not turn it into an English voiced g.
Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Initial groups · University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Introduction to initials
Tongue back · stop · voiceless · aspirated
Try it: Use a tongue-back seal, then release with a clear puff.
Airflow: Oral closure → release; nasal route closed. The aspirated partner adds a longer breathy interval before the vowel.
The seal is similar to g; aspiration distinguishes the pair.
Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Initial groups · University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Introduction to initials
Tongue back · fricative · voiceless
Try it: Bring the tongue back near the soft palate without sealing it; let gentle friction continue.
Airflow: Continuous oral friction through a narrow gap; nasal route closed.
The broad Mandarin model is velar [x], not simply English glottal [h]. Avoid a forced throat scrape.
Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Initial groups · University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Introduction to initials
Alveolo-palatal · affricate · voiceless · unaspirated
Try it: Keep the tip low, raise the tongue front, close briefly, then release into friction with little extra breath.
Airflow: Oral closure → friction → vowel; nasal route closed. Friction is not itself aspiration.
Compare jī and qī. IPA [j] is a glide; it is not Pinyin j.
Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Initial groups · Lee (1999) — Beijing sibilants and approximant · University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Introduction to initials
Alveolo-palatal · affricate · voiceless · aspirated
Try it: Keep the tip low and the front raised; release the brief closure into friction and a clear puff.
Airflow: Oral closure → friction → vowel; nasal route closed. Friction is not itself aspiration.
q in qīng is alveolo-palatal. The ing final adds its own movement; q is not retroflex ch.
Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Initial groups · Lee (1999) — Beijing sibilants and approximant · University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Introduction to initials
Alveolo-palatal · fricative · voiceless
Try it: Keep the tip low and the tongue front raised; sustain friction through a narrow gap.
Airflow: Continuous oral friction through a narrow gap; nasal route closed.
Unlike j/q, start with friction rather than a complete closure. A forced smile is unnecessary.
Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Initial groups · Lee (1999) — Beijing sibilants and approximant · University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Introduction to initials
Postalveolar/retroflex series · affricate · voiceless · unaspirated
Try it: Raise the tip toward the area behind the upper ridge; close, then release into friction with little extra breath.
Airflow: Oral closure → friction → vowel; nasal route closed. Friction is not itself aspiration.
A comfortable raised-tip model is enough; do not force an extreme curl.
Lee (1999) — Beijing sibilants and approximant · Chen, Whalen & Mok (2024) — Mandarin rhotics · University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Introduction to initials
Postalveolar/retroflex series · affricate · voiceless · aspirated
Try it: Use a comfortable postalveolar closure, then release into friction with a clear puff.
Airflow: Oral closure → friction → vowel; nasal route closed. Friction is not itself aspiration.
Compare zhī and chī. English ch is an approximation, not the same target.
Lee (1999) — Beijing sibilants and approximant · Chen, Whalen & Mok (2024) — Mandarin rhotics · University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Introduction to initials
Postalveolar/retroflex series · fricative · voiceless
Try it: Raise the tongue front toward the postalveolar region and keep a narrow gap for steady friction.
Airflow: Continuous oral friction through a narrow gap; nasal route closed.
No initial complete closure as in zh/ch. Tongue profiles vary across speakers.
Lee (1999) — Beijing sibilants and approximant · Chen, Whalen & Mok (2024) — Mandarin rhotics · University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Introduction to initials
Postalveolar rhotic · rhotic approximant / fricative · voiced
Try it: Keep the voice going. Bunch the tongue front with the tip low and leave an open oral passage. The lab shows one common r shape; other speakers use a raised tip.
Airflow: Voiced oral flow through an incomplete constriction; friction varies. Nasal route closed.
These symbols represent different descriptions. Do not require a trill, tongue contact, or a universal raised tip. The lab illustrates a bunched configuration, separately from the zh/ch/sh series.
Lee (1999) — Beijing sibilants and approximant · Chen, Whalen & Mok (2024) — Mandarin rhotics · University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Introduction to initials
Denti-alveolar sibilants · affricate · voiceless · unaspirated
Try it: Make a brief tongue-front closure near the upper teeth/ridge, then release through a narrow channel.
Airflow: Oral closure → friction → vowel; nasal route closed. Friction is not itself aspiration.
Compare zī and cī. Pinyin z is not English voiced [z].
Ohio State University — Mandarin IPA charts · Lee & Zee (2003) — Standard Chinese (Beijing) · University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Introduction to initials
Denti-alveolar sibilants · affricate · voiceless · aspirated
Try it: Make a brief front closure, then release into friction with a clear puff.
Airflow: Oral closure → friction → vowel; nasal route closed. Friction is not itself aspiration.
Keep it one affricate, not a separate t syllable followed by s.
Ohio State University — Mandarin IPA charts · Lee & Zee (2003) — Standard Chinese (Beijing) · University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Introduction to initials
Denti-alveolar sibilants · fricative · voiceless
Try it: Leave a narrow central channel near the upper teeth/ridge and sustain a hiss.
Airflow: Continuous oral friction through a narrow gap; nasal route closed.
Unlike z/c, no complete starting closure; a low-tip, blade-led posture is possible.
Ohio State University — Mandarin IPA charts · Lee & Zee (2003) — Standard Chinese (Beijing) · University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Introduction to initials
Both lips · 双唇音
Both lips meet. The tongue is free to prepare for the following final.
University of Washington — Mandarin consonants · Catherine Anderson — Articulators
Lip and teeth · 唇齿音
The lower lip approaches the upper front teeth; a small gap creates friction.
Catherine Anderson — Classifying consonants · University of Washington — Mandarin consonants
Teeth/ridge · 舌尖中音
The tongue front meets the upper teeth/ridge region. Tip and blade contributions vary; l typically uses tip contact.
Lee & Zee (2003) — Standard Chinese (Beijing) · Ohio State University — Mandarin IPA charts
Tongue back · 舌根音
The tongue back approaches the soft palate. g/k close the passage; h leaves a friction-producing gap.
Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Initial groups · University of Washington — Mandarin consonants
Alveolo-palatal · 舌面前音
A useful cue is a low tip near the lower incisors with a raised blade/front tongue. Lip rounding follows the final.
Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Initial groups · Lee (1999) — Beijing sibilants and approximant
Postalveolar/retroflex series · 舌尖后音
A tip raised behind the upper ridge is one teaching model for zh/ch/sh. r needs its own variation note; one fixed tongue profile cannot represent every speaker.
Lee (1999) — Beijing sibilants and approximant · Chen, Whalen & Mok (2024) — Mandarin rhotics
Denti-alveolar sibilants · 舌尖前音
The tongue front forms a narrow central channel near the upper teeth/ridge. A blade-led articulation may keep the tip low.
Ohio State University — Mandarin IPA charts · Lee & Zee (2003) — Standard Chinese (Beijing)
“Retroflex” is a conventional label for zh/ch/sh and often r. Lee’s Beijing study describes apical postalveolar articulations rather than a necessary deep curl. “Flat tongue” is therefore not a universal test of correctness. Conversely, q belongs to the alveolo-palatal series.
Lee (1999) — Beijing sibilants and approximant · University of Washington — Mandarin consonants
For r, the 2024 ultrasound study found bunched initial realizations in its 18-speaker sample, with tip-up and bunched shapes in syllabic/final contexts. This limits any instruction that insists initial r must always have a raised tip; it does not make every tip-up model wrong.
Chen, Whalen & Mok (2024) — Mandarin rhotics
Practice sequence: hear a short syllable, imitate it, compare the paired initial using the same final and tone, then try a familiar word. A hand or tissue can make aspiration easier to notice, but does not measure correctness. Keep the effort comfortable. Lip shape often anticipates the final, so a front-facing mouth view cannot prove the internal tongue position.
ng [ŋ] is a voiced velar nasal: back-of-tongue closure with nasal airflow. It belongs in Mandarin finals, not this 21-initial set. n occurs initially and finally; m belongs to the initial set in the standard model.
Lee & Zee (2003) — Standard Chinese (Beijing)
[j], [w], [ɥ] are glide symbols: front unrounded, back rounded with labial–velar articulation, and front rounded with labial–palatal articulation. Pinyin y/w help spell vowel/glide onsets; they do not add two new stop/fricative categories. Pinyin j and IPA [j] must remain distinct.
Ohio State University — Mandarin IPA charts · Catherine Anderson — Classifying consonants
Zero initial ∅ means no consonant initial in the lab’s parsing model. Keep the existing final/glide explanation rather than assign a fictitious consonant closure.
Individual consonant and group practice, with links to the creator’s chapter starts.
Focused practice for zh, ch, sh and r. Tongue shapes vary between speakers.
Use these lessons for listening and imitation. Regional accents and teaching descriptions vary. The cards link directly to the relevant creator-listed chapters.
These sources support the teaching descriptions. Diagrams are schematic, not scans of an individual speaker.
Classification vocabulary and symbols; not a Mandarin inventory.
Pinyin/IPA mapping, place and manner, with linked audio. Its r symbol differs from the Ohio State chart.
Consonant charts and tongue-tip notes on PDF pages 1–2. Treat the chart’s laminal description as a model, not a universal posture; it explicitly allows more than one r realization.
Primary description; conventions on pp. 110–111 distinguish tip/blade articulations and syllable positions. A Beijing model with a particular recorded speaker.
Primary palatographic and acoustic study. Supports postalveolar versus alveolo-palatal distinctions without requiring a deep underside-of-tongue curl.
Ultrasound study of 18 Northern Chinese speakers. Initial r was bunched in this sample; syllabic and postvocalic rhotics also included tip-up shapes. This is evidence of variation, not a rule for every speaker.
The 21-initial teaching inventory and the distinction between aspiration and voicing. Uses an approximant analysis of r.
Practical group explanations and audio; useful low-tip j/q/x and velar h instructions. English analogies and fixed-tip r instructions need qualification.
Mouth structures, vocal folds, and oral/nasal routes. General mechanisms, not Mandarin-specific tongue targets.
Place, manner, voicing, lateral flow, and affricates. English-centered examples; do not transfer English letter values or postalveolar labels directly to Mandarin.
Release and aspiration are distinct; English s-plus-stop sequences offer a starting analogy for unaspirated stops, not an exact Mandarin model.
Primary provider confirms lessons 02–06 cover all 21 initials, grouped by pronunciation family.
Supplementary practice. Its group-level lip description is simplified: f specifically uses lower lip and upper teeth.
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