Start learning Cantonese through Jyutping sounds, tone numbers and everyday words. Follow a clear path from your first reading to typing and practice.
Start with a greeting: 你好 · nei5 hou2. Jyutping writes Cantonese pronunciation with letters and a tone number after each syllable. You can use the same reading to study a word and find its characters on the keyboard.
Cantonese has its own sounds, tones and everyday expressions. These lessons introduce them through short words you can recognize, type and practise.
Explore the Jyutping chartThe digit is part of the reading.
The character carries the written word.
Follow the path, or return to the reference you need.
Explore initials and common finals. Notice the pairs and endings that distinguish words.
Take this step 021 2 3Connect a tone number to its pitch pattern, then notice syllables ending in p, t and k.
Take this step 03你好Enter nei5hou2, choose 你好 and learn the keyboard shortcuts that help you continue.
Take this step 04hou2Practise short words, check the spelling and tone, then revisit the ones you miss.
Take this stepIn sik6 (食, to eat), s is the initial, ik is the final and 6 is the tone. The final k closes the syllable; do not add a vowel after it.
Some words have no initial, such as oi3 (愛, love). The nasal sounds m and ng can even make a syllable on their own: m4 (唔, not).
The chart gives spelling examples and notes. Use it alongside listening and feedback from a Cantonese speaker or course; a written chart cannot demonstrate every detail of pronunciation.
Jyutping represents Cantonese. Hanyu Pinyin and Zhuyin represent Mandarin. Familiar letters can help you read the notation, but their values and tone numbers are different.
Jyutping j is a y-like glide, not Pinyin j. The final yu is one rounded vowel spelling. Tone 4 is low falling in the Cantonese teaching pattern; it does not mean Mandarin fourth tone.
Keep a Cantonese word with its own complete reading. Changing the Mandarin spelling into similar-looking letters is not a reliable way to find its Cantonese pronunciation.
Get to know the tone numbers →Yes. Treat the tone number as part of the word from the beginning. Learning hou2 together is more useful than memorizing hou and adding an uncertain tone later. Start with a few familiar words and compare the patterns.
No. You can start reading Jyutping and recognizing a few useful words together. Seeing the characters beside the pronunciation helps connect learning with messages, signs and the keyboard.
Traditional descriptions count three checked-tone categories separately. Jyutping uses six tone numbers; ordinary checked syllables ending in p, t or k usually use 1, 3 or 6. The tone lesson explains this without requiring a second numbering system.
This is a beginner resource for reading Jyutping, typing and studying useful words. It does not assess spoken pronunciation or replace conversation practice. Regional and individual pronunciation differences are real; the reference gives a consistent starting point.
Reference checks: Linguistic Society of Hong Kong · Jyutping scheme, Jyutping questions and Jyutping sound reference. Explanations, study activities and diagrams here are original i2Bopomo learning material.