1. Pinyin Lesson 4

2. Compound Finals

3. Summary of marking tones in Pinyin
• Tone marks are written above the main vowel of a syllable.
The main vowel can be identified according to the following
sequence: ɑ-o-e-i-u-ü.
• For instance, in ɑo the main vowel is ɑ. In ei the main vowel is
e.
• There is one exception: when i and u are combined into a
syllable, the tone mark is written on the second vowel: iù,uì.

4. Compound Finals ɑi、ei、ɑo、ou、iɑ、ie、iɑo、iou

5. • When the initial vowels are ɑ、o and e, they are stressed. The
vowels following are soft and brief.
• ɑi、ei、ɑo、ou can be individual syllables.

6. ài
爱
（love）

7. bái
白
（white）

8. běi
北
（north）

9. hēi
黑
（black）

10. hǎo
好
（good）

11. gǒu
狗
（dog）

12. • When the initial vowel is i, the main vowels that come after i
are transitional sounds, meaning they’re not stressed.
iā iá iǎ ià
• If there are vowels or nasal consonants after the main vowels,
those should be unstressed as well.
iāo iáo iǎo iào

13. jiā
家
（family， home）

14. xièxiè
谢谢
（thanks）

15. xiǎo
小
（small）

16. • In pinyin orthography, some vowels are omitted for the sake
of economy, thus “iou” becomes “iu.”

17. jiǔ
九
（nine）

18. • If there is no initial consonant before i, i is written as a semi-
vowel y. Thus iɑ, ie, iɑo, iou become yɑ, ye, yɑo, you.

19. yá
牙
（tooth）

20. yéye
爷爷
（grandpa）

21. yào
药
（medicine）

22. yòu
右
（right）