The charts below show the way in which the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) represents Taiwanese Hokkien (also called Taiwanese) pronunciations in Wikipedia articles. For a guide to adding IPA characters to Wikipedia articles, see Template:IPA and Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Pronunciation § Entering IPA characters.
Note that the Pe̍h-ōe-jī (POJ) applied in this page is Ernest Tipson's version, while Chinese Examples are pronounced with literary reading with Taiwanese Romanization System (TL) spelling in default unless specified.
Consonants
Consonants | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IPA | POJ | TL | Phonetic Symbols | Chinese Example | English approximation | |||
p | p | ㄅ | 布 (pòo) | span | ||||
pʰ | ph | ㄆ | 普 (phóo) | pan | ||||
b | b | ![]() |
明 (bîng) | timber [a] | ||||
m | m- | ㄇ | 媽 (má) | moon | ||||
am, om, im | ![]() ![]() |
暗 (àm), 參 (som)[b], 心 (sim) | rim | |||||
t | t | ㄉ | 端 (tuan) | stop | ||||
tʰ | th | ㄊ | 透 (thò) | top | ||||
l | l | ㄌ | 來 (lâi) | lime [c] | ||||
n | n | ㄋ | 泥 (nî) | noon | ||||
-n | ㄣ, ㄢ | 因 (in), 安 (an) | ||||||
k | k | ㄍ | 見 (kiàn) | skin | ||||
kʰ | kh | ㄎ | 溪 (khe) | kin | ||||
ɡ | g | ![]() |
義 (gī) | finger [a] | ||||
ŋ | ng- | ![]() |
吳 (ngôo) | singer | ||||
eng, ang, ong | ing, ang, ong | ㄥ, ㄤ, ![]() |
櫻 (ing), 幫 (pang), 王 (ông) | song | ||||
h | h | ㄏ | 曉 (hiáu) | hit | ||||
ʔ | ∅ | 影 (íng, [ʔiə̯ŋ˥˩]) | uh-oh | |||||
t͡s | ch [d] | ts | ㄗ | 走 (tsáu) | cats, usually retracted in most cases | |||
t͡ɕ | ㄐ | 精 (tsing) | like itchy, pronounced further forward toward the teeth (palatalized).[e] | |||||
t͡sʰ | chh [d] | tsh | ㄘ | 菜 (tshài) | cats | |||
t͡ɕʰ | ㄑ | 市 (tshī) | like cheap, pronounced more forward, toward the teeth (palatalized).[e] | |||||
s | s | ㄙ | 三 (sam) | same | ||||
ɕ | ㄒ | 審 (sím) | like sheep, pronounced more forward, toward the teeth (palatalized).[e] | |||||
d͡z | j | ![]() |
熱 (jua̍h) | pads [f] | ||||
z | zoo [g] | |||||||
d͡ʑ | ![]() |
日 (ji̍t) | like jeep, pronounced further forward toward the teeth (palatalized).[f][e] | |||||
ʑ | like zip, pronounced further forward toward the teeth (palatalized).[g][e] | |||||||
Note: Alveolo-palatal consonants ([t͡ɕ], [t͡ɕʰ], [ɕ], and [d͡ʑ / ʑ]) always precede [i] ⟨i / e⟩ as ⟨chi (tsi) / che⟩, ⟨chhi (tshi) / chhe⟩, ⟨si / se⟩, and ⟨ji⟩. | ||||||||
Syllabic consonants | ||||||||
m̩ | -m | ![]() |
姆 (ḿ) | rhythm | ||||
ŋ̍ | -ng | ![]() |
光 (kng)[h] | song [i] | ||||
Stop consonant finals | ||||||||
p̚ | -p | ◌ㄅ | 合 (ha̍p) | like sip, but no audible release; apt | ||||
t̚ | -t | ◌ㄉ | 七 (tshit) | like sit, but no audible release | ||||
k̚ | -k | ◌ㄍ | 角 (kak) | like sick, but no audible release | ||||
ʔ | -h | ◌ㄏ | 桌 (toh) | uh-oh |
Vowels
Vowels | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IPA | POJ | TL | Phonetic Symbols | Chinese Example | English approximation | |||
a | a | ㄚ | 鴨 (ah) | father | ||||
e | e | ![]() |
家 (ke) | day | ||||
ɤ | o | o/or[j] | ㄜ | 高 (kor) | Roughly like bird [k] | |||
o | o | ㄛ | 高 (ko) | story [l] | ||||
ɔ | o͘ [m] | oo | ![]() |
烏 (oo) | off | |||
ong, om, op, ok |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
福 (hok) | ||||||
i | i | ㄧ [n] | 一 (it) | see [o] | ||||
u | u | ㄨ | 武 (bú) | cool [p] | ||||
Diphthongs | ||||||||
ai̯ | ai | ㄞ | 愛 (ài) | fight [o] | ||||
au̯ | au | ㄠ | 交 (kau) | out [p] | ||||
i̯a | ia | ㄧㄚ | 射 (siā) | Russia | ||||
i̯ɛ | ian, iat | ㄧㄢ, ㄧㄚㄉ | 電 (tiān), 結 (kiat) | yes [q] | ||||
iə̯ | eng, ek | ing, ik | ㄧㄥ, ㄧㄍ | 英 (ing), 色 (sik) | eon [r][k] | |||
i̯ə | io | ior | ㄧㄜ | 腰 (ior)[k] | ||||
i̯o | io | ㄧㄛ | 腰 (io)[l] | Leo | ||||
i̯ɔ | iong, iok | ㄧ![]() ![]() |
中 (tiong), 欲 (io̍k) | kiosk | ||||
i̯u | iu | ㄧㄨ | 手 (tshiú) | dew | ||||
u̯a | oa | ua | ㄨㄚ | 化 (huà) | like suave | |||
u̯e | oe | ue | ㄨ![]() |
尾 (bué)[b] | question | |||
u̯i | ui | ㄨㄧ | 水 (suí) | we | ||||
Triphthongs | ||||||||
i̯au̯ | iau | ㄧㄠ | 妖 (iau) | meow [o][p] | ||||
u̯ai̯ | oai | uai | ㄨㄞ | 怪 (kuài) | quiet [o] | |||
Nasal vowels | ||||||||
◌̃ | m◌, n◌, ng◌ | ㄇ◌, ㄋ◌, ![]() |
鰻 (muâ), 梁 (niû), 迎 (ngiâ) | Nasalized vowel(s) [s] | ||||
ã | an | ann | ![]() |
衫 (sann) | like naive; nasalized [a] | |||
ẽ | en | enn | ![]() |
青 (tsenn)[b] | like next; nasalized [e] [t] | |||
ĩ | in | inn | ![]() |
圓 (înn) | like niece; nasalized [i] | |||
ɔ̃ | on | onn | ![]() |
否 (hónn) | French: son; nasalized [ɔ] | |||
ãĩ̯ | ain | ainn | ![]() |
載 (tsáinn) | like nine; nasalized [ai̯] | |||
ĩ̯ã | ian | iann | ㄧ![]() |
兄 (hiann) | roughly like civilian; nasalized [i̯a] | |||
ĩ̯ũ | iun | iunn | ㄧ![]() |
羊 (iûnn)[h] | like new; nasalized [i̯u] [u] | |||
ũ̯ã | oan | uann | ㄨ![]() |
官 (kuann) | roughly like squander; nasalized [u̯a] | |||
ũ̯ĩ | uin | uinn | ㄨ![]() |
快 (khuìnn)[h] | roughly like twin; nasalized [u̯i] | |||
ĩ̯ãũ̯ | iaun | iaunn | ㄧ![]() |
喓 (iaunn) | like meow; nasalized [i̯au̯] | |||
ũ̯ãĩ̯ | oain | uainn | ㄨ![]() |
關 (kuainn)[b] | roughly like wine; nasalized [u̯ai̯] [v] | |||
Note: ⟨◌n⟩ in POJ is sometimes written as ⟨◌N⟩ when superscript ⟨n⟩ is not supported. |
Tones
Tones | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tone Number |
IPA (WP) |
POJ | TL | Phonetic Symbols | Chinese Example | Dialect values (IPA) | ||
Kaohsiung | Taipei | Lukang | ||||||
0 | ◌--a | 後日 (āu--ji̍t) | (varying) | |||||
1 | ˦ | a | ㄚ | 東 | [˥] 55 | [˦] 44 | [˧] 33 | |
2 | ˥˩ | á | ㄚˋ | 黨 | [˥˩] 51 | [˥˧] 53 | [˥] 55 | |
3 | ˧˩ | à | ㄚ˪ | 棟 | [˧˩] 31 | [˨˩] 21 | [˧˩] 31 | |
4 | ʔ˧˨ | a◌ | ㄚ◌ | 督 | [˧] 3 | [˨] 2 | [˥] 5 | |
5 | ˨˦ | â | ㄚˊ | 同 | [˨˦] 24 | |||
6 | ˨ | ǎ | ㄚˋ | 動 | [˨] 22 | |||
7 | ˧ | ā | ㄚ˫ | 洞 | [˧] 33 | [˧˩] 31 | ||
8 | ʔ˦ | a̍◌ | ㄚ◌˙ | 毒 | [˥] 5 | [˦] 4 | [˧˥] 35 | |
9 | ˧˥ | a̋ | 引擎 | [˧˥] 35 | ||||
Note: ◌ can be any of the four stop consonant finals in Taiwanese as listed in the above. |
Dialectal segments
Choân-chiu Dialect
Consonants | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
IPA | POJ | TL | Phonetic Symbols | Chinese Example | English approximation |
d͡ʑ | j | j | ![]() |
字 (jī / lī) | like jeep, pronounced further forward toward the teeth (palatalized).[f] |
l | l | ㄌ | lap | ||
熱 (jua̍h / lua̍h) | |||||
d͡z | j | ![]() |
pads [f] | ||
Vowels | |||||
ə | e | er | ㄜ | 火 (hér)[w] | about [x] |
ɨ | i / u | ir | ![]() |
豬 (tir) | roughly like glasses; sometimes pronounced as [ɯ] as goose (California)[y][w] |
ɘ̯e | oe | ere | ㄜ![]() |
雞 (kere)[y] | |
ɘ̯u | io | eru | ㄜㄨ | 購 (kerù)[w] | |
ɨ̯̃ĩ | eng | irinn | ![]() ![]() |
肩 (kirinn)[z] |
Chiang-chiu Dialect
Consonants | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
IPA | POJ | TL | Phonetic Symbols | Chinese Example | English approximation |
ȵ | n | gn | ![]() |
耳 (gní)[aa] | like onion [t][ab] |
ʑ | j | j | ![]() |
日 (ji̍t / gi̍t) | like zip, pronounced further forward toward the teeth (palatalized).[g] |
g | g | ![]() |
give [g] | ||
z | j | ![]() |
熱 (jua̍h) | zoo [g] | |
Vowels | |||||
ɛ | e | ee / ek / eng | ㄝ | 家 (kee) [aa] | bet [t] |
ɛ̃ | en | eenn | ![]() |
青 (tsheenn) [aa] | French: vin; nasalized [ɛ] [t][ab] |
ĩ̯ɔ̃ | iun | ionn | ㄧ![]() |
羊 (iônn) [ac] | like neon; nasalized [i̯o] [t] |
Notes
- ^ a b [b] and [g] are sometimes transcribed as [b̃] and [g̃] respectively.
- ^ a b c d In Taiwanese Chiang-chiu accent.
- ^ In most varieties of Hokkien, /l/ is pronounced as an alveolar tap [ɾ]. Although the IPA symbol ⟨l⟩ represents a lateral approximants, ⟨l⟩ is widely used instead of ⟨ɾ⟩ in broad transcriptions of Hokkien.
- ^ a b In some POJ variants, ch and chh are written as ⟨ts⟩ and ⟨tsh⟩ respectively.
- ^ a b c d e [t͡ɕ], [t͡ɕʰ], [ɕ], and [ʑ] are pronounced as [t͡s], [t͡sʰ], [s], and [z] in some accents.
- ^ a b c d [d͡z] and [d͡ʑ] are used in Taiwanese Choân-chiu accent; they are pronounced as [l] in some sub-accents.
- ^ a b c d e [z] and [ʑ] is used in Taiwanese Chiang-chiu accent, while [ʑ] is pronounced as [ɡ] mainly in Taiwanese Hok-Ló-Kheh sub-accents.
- ^ a b c In Taiwanese Choan-chiu accent.
- ^ ⟨-ng⟩ [ŋ̍] is pronounced as [ũĩ] mainly in Taiwanese Chiang-chiu accent.
- ^ ⟨o⟩ in TL can present both southern accent and northern accent, while ⟨or⟩ in TL is used to specify southern accent for differentiation.
- ^ a b c ⟨or⟩ [ɤ], also transcribed as [ə], is used in Taiwanese southern accent and sometimes transcribed as [ɤ].
- ^ a b ⟨o⟩ [o] is used in Taiwanese northern accent.
- ^ ⟨o͘⟩ [ɔ] is sometimes written as ⟨ou⟩ in POJ as the dot is barely visible for readers.
- ^ a b In horizontal writing, it might be written in 90 degrees rotated.
- ^ a b c d [i̯] can be transcribed as [ɪ] in ⟨-ai, -ia, -io, -iau⟩.
- ^ a b c [u̯] can be transcribed as [ʊ] in ⟨-au⟩
- ^ ⟨ian⟩ is pronounced as either [i̯ɛn], [ɛn], or [en] depending on accents.
⟨iat⟩ is pronounced as either [i̯ɛt̚], [ɛt̚], or [et̚] depending on accents. - ^ ⟨ing⟩ is pronounced as either [iə̯ŋ], [iŋ] or [eŋ], depending on accents.
⟨ik⟩ is pronounced as either [iə̯k̚], [ik̚] or [ek̚] depending on accents. - ^ The combination of a nasal consonant preceding vowel(s) represents nasal vowel(s) due to a natural process of assimilation.
- ^ a b c d e ⟨gn⟩ [ȵ], (enn) [ẽ], ⟨ee⟩ [ɛ], ⟨eeh⟩ [ɛʔ], ⟨eenn⟩ [ɛ̃], ⟨ek⟩ [ɛk̚], ⟨eng⟩ [ɛŋ], ⟨ionn⟩ [ĩ̯ɔ̃], and ⟨ionnh⟩ [ĩ̯ɔ̃ʔ] of TL are used in Taiwanese Chiang-chiu accent.
- ^ [ĩ̯ũ] is only used in Choân-chiu accent.
- ^ [ũ̯ãĩ̯] is pronounced as [ũ̯ĩ], [ũ̯ã], and [u̯ai̯] mainly in Taiwanese Choân-chiu accent.
- ^ a b c In Lo̍k-káng Choân-chiu accent
- ^ ⟨er⟩ [ə] is also transcribed as [ɘ] by some scholars despite the slight difference. In addition, ⟨er⟩ is alternatively spelled as ⟨oe⟩ while its Phonetic Symbol is replaced with
in textbooks and academic publishing by Ngoo Siu Le .
- ^ a b In Sam-Kiap Choân-chiu accent
- ^ In Po-tiong Choân-chiu Lâm-oaⁿ accent
- ^ a b c In Taiwanese Éng-tsēng old Chiang-chiu accent.
- ^ a b Note that ⟨gn⟩ [ȵ] and ⟨eenn⟩ [ɛ̃] are not listed in the Taiwanese Romanization System by Ministry of Education, but is featured in textbooks and dictionaries.
- ^ In Taiwanese Tâi-lâm Chiang-chiu accent.
References
- "Tai-Hoa Dictionary". Peh-oe-ji Tai-gu-bun Bang-cham - Written Taiwanese Southern-Min.
- "Dictionary for Common Vocabulary in Taiwanese Hokkien". Ministry of Education (Taiwan).
- "Taiwanese Hokkien Romanization and Pronunciation Learning Network". National Taichung University of Education.
You must be logged in to post a comment.