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Jyut6 ping3 粵拼pronunciation guide: Example

A as in "a roof above" zou2 san4 早晨 good morning

AA as in "father" faan6 飯 cooked rice
B as in "boy" baat3 八 eight
C as in "chair" (some pronounce this as a "ts") cat1 七 seven
D as in "dog" do1 ze6 多謝 many thanks
E as in "yeah"as a final ie: se2 寫 to write; In the middle as in "neck" ie: sek6 石 stone.
F as in "four" fo2 火fire
G as in "go" zoi3 gin3 再見 see you again
H as in "hello" hai6 係 to be, is, are, yes
I sounds like the "ee" in "see" ni1 呢 this (plus measure word)
but sometimes as in "him" sik1 識 to know
J sounds like the "y" in "you" ji6 二 two
K as in "kick" keoi5 佢 he, she, it, him, her
L as in "look" lei4 嚟 to come
M as in "man" m4 goi1 唔該 thanks, please
N as in "no" (some pronounce this like an "L") nei5 你you
O as in "off" ngo5 我I, me
P as in "please" pang4 jau5 朋友 friend
Q (NOT IN CURRENT USE)
R (NOT IN CURRENT USE)
S as in "sell" saam1 三 three
T as in "tall" taam3 探 to visit, find , spy
U as in "June" (sometimes said as the"oo" in "good") tung4 同 with, same
V (NOT IN CURRENT USE)
W as in"we" wui2 會will, shall, meet
X (NOT IN CURRENT USE)
Y used with other consonants to form a jyu2 魚 fish
"puckered" sound not occurring in English
Z sounds like the "j" in "joy", but some say it like Zung1 gwok3 中國 China
a "dz" or a soft "g" as in "fudge". The sound is
somewhere between an English "j" and a "z".

Word finals: Jyut6 ping3 粵拼only uses eleven finals,a e i o u, n m ng, p t k

And of these, p, t and k are unaspirated and are barely audible(see below)
Some of the vowels are combined to make specific sounds.
Please consider the following examples:

Wednesday, December 31, 2008 America Online: AJP807

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oi-sounds like the "oy" sound in "toy" and "boy" Example: hoi1開 to open
eoi-this sound does not occur in English but is very common in Cantonese.
The sound is a cross between the "oy" sound of "boy" and the "ay" sound of
"hay" Examples: heoi3 去 to go; seoi2 水 water; keoi 佢he, she, it
au-sounds like the "ow" in "how now brown cow? Ex: hau6 後 back
ei-sounds like the "ay" sound as in "May" and "pay" Ex: bei2 畀 to give, for
ou-sounds like the "o" as in "go", "no" or "Joe" Ex: hou2 好 good, fine, very
aai-sounds like the "y" as in "fly" or the word "I" Ex: gaai1 街 street.
ai-similar to above sound but shorter and without opening the mouth as wide.
This sound does not occur in English but if the above "gaai1 街 street" is said
with the mouth held less open, more emphasis placed on the double "ee" sound of
the "i", and the entire word said shorter, it becomes the word
gai1 雞chicken. Also compare "maai5 買to buy" with "mai5 米uncooked rice".
ui-sounds like the "ouy" in the word "bouy" Example: bui1 杯 cup.
iu-sounds like the "ew" in the word "chew" Example: biu1 錶 watch.
Some vowels combine with consonants to make unique sounds.
Please consider the following examples:
oeng-does not occur in English but is very common in Cantonese. The
sound is similar to the word "earn" if you add a hard "g" to the end. Example:
loeng5 兩 two (sounds like the English word "learn" plus a hard "g" ending)
soeng2 想 to want to do something; hoeng2 响 to be located at.
oek-sounds like "irk" as in "to irritate". Ex: zoek3 著to wear (sounds like "jerk")
eon-does not occur in English. The sound is similar to the "oo" as in the word
"good" or "wood" plus an "n" sound at the end.
Examples: ceon1 春 spring; seon3 信letter; zeon2 准 approve, allow, permit.
eot-similar to above sound but with a "t" instead of an "n" at the end. In English
this sound occurs in the word "foot" or "soot" Ex: ceot1 出 to go out.
eng-as in meng4 名name, is said like the word "men" with a "g" ending.
N as a final is exactly like the word "sun" Example: san1新new.
M as a final is exactly like the word "sum" Example: sam1 心 heart.
Ng as a final is exactly like the word "king" Example: king1 gai2 傾偈 to chat.
When used as an initial sound in words like ngo5 我 I, me, some modern
speakers choose not to pronounce the "ng" and would say it more like the English
word "awe" as in "wonderment".
P, T, and K as word finals are unaspirated and many times inaudible. This is
similar to the way "Let me ask you something" is sometimes garbled into...
"Lemme axe you sumpin". You can see where the "t" in "let" and "thing" as well as
the "g" are inaudible. "Where are you going?" becomes "Where you goin'?"
dropping the "g" final in "going", as well as the entire word "are".

Wednesday, December 31, 2008 America Online: AJP807