Rare syllable
-
Level
There are a limited number of syllables in pinyin, and you can find pretty much all of them on our pinyin chart. But there are a few rare ones that don't merit inclusion on a list of syllables that a beginner needs to learn, and yet nevertheless exist. These syllables are listed here, along with some notes about what makes them special. Just like every other pinyin syllable on this wiki, these less-common syllables each have their own page with more details.
| Syllable | How Common | How It's Used |
|---|---|---|
| biang | Uncommon | Pretty much just to write a crazy character |
| duang | Uncommon | This "word" went viral in early 2015, but it's not normally used |
| lia | Uncommon | 俩 (liǎ) is an abbreviation for 两个 (liǎnggè) |
| seng | Uncommon | A word for a monk: 僧 (sēng) |
| shei | Common | Isn't it weird that there's only one word that combines sh- and -ei? But the word 谁 (shéi) is super common. |
| zei | Uncommon | The only word pronounced "zei" means "thief": 贼 (zéi) |
Sources and Further Reading
- Maxwell Joslyn: The Rarest Mandarin Syllables
- Zev Handel: A Twitter Rant on Lexical Gaps in Modern Mandarin
