A1 pronunciation points

"A1" (Beginner) is the first and lowest level, as defined by the European Common Framework, which is used on this Chinese Pronunciation Wiki. It is roughly equivalent to HSK Level 1. For more information on the levels used here, see the Pronunciation Points by Level page. There are 16 total pronunciation points in the list below.

Pinyin

Level	Pronunciation Point	Summary
A1	Introduction to pinyin	Some background information about pinyin for absolute beginners. HINT: pinyin was not created as a pronunciation guide for foreigners!
A1	Pinyin chart	Learn all the sounds and individual syllables that make up all the words in Mandarin Chinese.
A1	Pinyin quick start guide
	1. Easy sounds	Not all sounds in Mandarin are hard! This part covers "p", "m", "f", "d", "t", "n", "l", "s", "g", "k", "h".
	2. The "a" vowel	The vowel "a" in Mandarin isn't too hard, so let's start with that one. Now you can make actual syllables!
	3. The "e" vowel	The letter "e" in pinyin can represent several different vowel sounds, and it's important to learn them all.
	4. The "i" vowel	In pinyin, "i" makes more than just one sound. Be sure to learn in what syllables it sounds different.
	5. The "o" and "u" vowels	The "o" and "u" vowels in Chinese aren't quite as straightforward as one might hope, and the two get confused a bit, so it's useful to learn them together.
	6. The "c" and "z" sounds	The letters "c" and "z" in pinyin can totally throw you off at first, but the sounds they make are not too difficult for most learners.
	7. The "ch" "sh" and "zh" sounds	These similar sounds shouldn't be too hard for speakers of English, but it's important to pay close attention to the vowel sounds that they combine with.
	8. The "r" sound	This is probably an "r" sound unlike any you've ever made before. It doesn't exist in English, but it can be learned!
	9. The "ü" vowel	Not the same as "u", the "ü" sound might be familiar if you speak French or German, but it doesn't exist in English.
	10. The "j" "q" and "x" sounds	The "j", "q", and "x" sounds are all foreign to speakers of English, but absolutely essential to master for good Chinese pronunciation.
A1	Pinyin gotchas	There are certain seemingly inconsistent things about pinyin that trip everybody up at first. Here they all are, together in one convenient list.

Tones

Level	Pronunciation Point	Summary
A1	Four tones	There are four main tones in Mandarin Chinese. Your quest to master them starts here!
A1	Neutral tone	Whether you think of it as "the fifth tone," or "the zeroth tone," it's a little tonal trick you'll need to know.