In Cantonese, the 20 initials can be classified according to place of articulation. They are: labial b, m, p, f; apical d, t, n, l; laminal/palatal z, c, s / j; velar g, k, ng / h; labialised- velar gw, kw / w and zero initial – no initials.
Planning Context
Phonetic Knowledge
Understanding Cantonese
Initials
Finals
Tones
Daily Communication
Feedback
中
Initials／
Understanding Initials
Understanding Initials
b |
baa1 |
father |
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p |
paa4 |
crawl |
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m |
maa1 |
mother |
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f |
faa1 |
flower |
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d |
daa2 |
hit |
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t |
taa1 |
he |
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n |
naa4 |
take |
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l |
laa1 |
“la” ( to indicate exclamation) |
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z |
zaa1 |
dreg |
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c |
caa1 |
fork |
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s |
saa1 |
sand |
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j |
jaa5 |
also |
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g |
gaa1 |
family |
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k |
kaa1 |
checkpoint |
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ng |
ngaa4 |
tooth |
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h |
haa1 |
laugther |
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gw |
gwaa1 |
melon |
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kw |
kwaa1 |
exaggerate |
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w |
waa1 |
frog |
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ø |
aa1 |
branch |
(You may ignore the finals in the examples.)
Initials Examples
Initials |
IPA |
Examples (characters) |
Examples (words) |
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1 |
b |
[p] |
father
baa1 |
father
baa4 baa1 |
bye
baai1 baai3 |
2 |
p |
[pʰ] |
crawl
paa4 |
maternal grandmother
po4 po2 |
pipa
pei4 paa4 |
3 |
m |
[m] |
mother
maa1 |
mother
maa4 maa1 |
buy and sell
maai5 maai6 |
4 |
f |
[f] |
flower
faa1 |
expense
faa1 fai3 |
plentiful
fung1 fu3 |
5 |
d |
[t] |
hit
daa2 |
younger brother
dai4 dai2 |
place
dei6 dim2 |
6 |
t |
[tʰ] |
he
taa1 |
wife
taai3 taai2 |
headline
tau4 tiu4 |
7 |
n |
[n] |
take
naa4 |
empress
noeng4 noeng4 |
hard to read
naan4 nim6 |
8 |
l |
[l] |
“la” ( to indicate exclamation)
laa1 |
browse
lau4 laam5 |
unconventional
ling6 leoi6 |
9 |
g |
[k] |
family
gaa1 |
elder brother
go4 go1 |
maternal grandfather
gung4 gung1 |
10 |
k |
[kʰ] |
checkpoint
kaa1 |
power
koeng4 kyun4 |
resist
kong3 keoi5 |
11 |
ng |
[ŋ] |
tooth
ngaa4 |
eye and forehead
ngaan5 ngaak6 |
bean sprout
ngan4 ngaa4 |
12 |
h |
[h] |
laugther
haa1 |
Kangxi Emperor
hong1 hei1 |
thirsty
hau2 hot3 |
13 |
gw |
[kw] |
melon
gwaa1 |
ghosts and monsters
gwai2 gwaai3 |
army
gwok3 gwan1 |
14 |
kw |
[kwʰ] |
exaggerate
kwaa1 |
Chinese wedding gown
kwan4 kwaa2 |
frame
kwaang1 kwaang1 |
15 |
w |
[w] |
frog
waa1 |
backbite
waai6 waa2 |
guard
wu6 wai6 |
16 |
z |
[ts] |
dreg
zaa1 |
elder sister
ze4 ze1 |
pearl
zan1 zyu1 |
17 |
c |
[tsʰ] |
fork
caa1 |
relatives
can1 cik1 |
vegetables
ceng1 coi3 |
18 |
s |
[s] |
sand
saa1 |
surname
sing3 si6 |
surgery
sau2 seot6 |
19 |
j |
[j] |
also
jaa5 |
paternal grandfather
je4 je2 |
meaning
ji3 ji6 |
20 |
zero initial |
/ |
branch
aa1 |
duck
aap3 |
house
uk1 |