Mandarin sounds, written with letters.

Pinyin initials and finals chart.

Explore common Pinyin initials and finals through real words. Filter the reference, check spelling notes, and print a study sheet.

A grouped reference for 21 initials, 36 useful final spellings and the helpers y and w. Each card shows a complete word, its reading and a Zhuyin connection. This is a study chart, not a table of every possible syllable; not every combination forms a Mandarin syllable.

Pinyin initials & finals

21 initials · 36 useful final spellings · y/w helpers · i2Bopomo

Initials

21 consonant beginnings

Finals

36 useful final spellings

Spelling helpers

y and w in syllables without a consonant initial

Spellings are Mandarin readings, not English sound equivalents. y/w help spell syllables without a consonant initial. ü loses its dots after j/q/x/y. iu, ui and un shorten iou, uei and uen after consonants; after j/q/x, un represents ün. Some uncommon syllabic forms are outside this beginner reference. i2Bopomo · Pinyin chart

How to read the reference

The large label is an initial, final or spelling helper. The example underneath shows how it appears in a real syllable. Click a card for its spelling note, or search for a word you know.

Some labels differ from the complete spelling: the final ü is written yu without a consonant initial, so 雨 is yǔ. The final ueng appears as weng.

Print the whole reference or just the group you are studying. The printed sheet respects your current search, group and Zhuyin-hint setting.

Three patterns to notice

Air-flow pairs: compare b/p, d/t, g/k, j/q, zh/ch and z/c. The second initial in each pair has stronger aspiration.
Nasal endings: keep an/ang, en/eng and in/ing separate. The ending changes the syllable.
Spelling is contextual: i in mǐ differs from written i in zhī or zī. The u in qù is ü, while the u in lù is u.

Add the tone marks →

Reference checks: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University · Initials, Pinyin spelling rules and tone changes. Explanations, examples and diagrams here are original learning material for i2Bopomo.

Keep going

Learn Pinyin

Pinyin tonesLearn the four Mandarin tone marks, the neutral tone, and where to place the mark in a Pinyin syllable. Check your understanding with short exercises. Pinyin & ZhuyinCompare Pinyin spellings and Bopomofo symbols through the same Mandarin words. Understand tone notation and choose a useful next step. Pinyin practicePractice the Pinyin readings of useful Chinese words. Enter tone numbers or marks, use hints, and check each answer as you learn.