PowerPoint Presentation

Pingan HuangConfucius Institute at UNLphuang2@unl.eduChinese Name Pronunciation and Greetings in ChineseAugust 13 , 2013

1(n)(ho)! Hello!

(n)(ho)(ma) How are you?

(w)(hn)(ho) I am fine.Hello!

To understand characteristics of Chinese names.

To learn to pronounce some difficult Chinese names.

To learn to speak some most commonly used greetings in Chinese.

Objectives

Population: 1.3 billionArea: 9.6 million sq km (3.7 million sq mi) - 23 provinces - 5 autonomous regions (Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Guangxi, and Tibet) - 4 municipalities (Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Chongqing) - 2 special administrative regions (Hong Kong, Macau)Capital: BeijingBasic Facts about China

Chinese:Should I have an English name to make people around me easy to call and remember me? But my name is given by my parents with such a good will and it is my identity, though.Is he/she calling my name? it sounds so weird.Americans:I run into Chinese students and researchers almost everyday. It is easier for me to call them by their English names. But I prefer to call them by their Chinese names to show my respect, though.What did he/she say his/her name? Gee, it is so difficult to pronounce. What am I going to do next time we meet?

Chinese Names: confusions and frustrations

In Chinese, the family name comes before the given name. eg. HUANG Pingan in Chinese, but Pingan HUANG in EnglishMost names are coined by (grand)parents to have wishful connotations for the future life of children.Given names cannot use the same character(s) as those in their parents and grandparents names.Between close friends and colleagues, (xio) or (lo) can be used in front of family names to address people younger or older than you.Titles go after the family names.Chinese Names: features and characteristics

j like j in jeepeg.(jing)(j)(ji)(jun)(ji)q like ch in cheateg. (qn)(qin)(qng)(qio)(qun)x like a sound between the s in see and the sh in sheeg. (xi)(x)(xi)(xn)(xio)z like ds in wordseg.(z)(zng)(zng)(cng)(z)Some difficult-to-pronounce Chinese names : initials

c like ts in eatseg. (ci)(cng)(cu)(co)(ci)zh like the "g" in urgeeg. (zhng)(zhu)(zhng)(zh)(zho)r like r in Rayeg.(rn)(ru)(rng)(r)(rn)Some difficult-to-pronounce Chinese names : initials (contd)

a like a in mamaeg. (m)(n)(sh)ai like eyeeg. (bi)(hi)(ki)ao like ao in Taoismeg. (to)(mo)(ho)an sounds like ah with an emphatic n at the end (NOT like an in can)eg. (n)(fn)(yn)Some difficult-to-pronounce Chinese names : vowels

Some difficult-to-pronounce Chinese names : vowels (contd)

e like ur in blur (British pronunciation)eg. (g)(d)(h)ei like ay in wayeg. (li)(pi)(mi)i like ee in meeteg. (l)(m)(l)ie like ye in yeteg. (y) (ti)(ji)Some difficult-to-pronounce Chinese names : vowels (contd)

u like u in blueeg. (l)(ch)(w)ou is like ow in loweg. (lu)(zhu)(hu)ang like ang in pingpangeg. (shng)(yng)(kng)Chinese Pinyin and tones in 6 Mins: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9Ayvjy-DgsPinyin table: http://www.quickmandarin.com/chinesepinyintable/Mandarin Pronunciation Guide:http://www.standardmandarin.com/basicchinese

Some Useful Links

Saying good-bye

(xi)(xi) Thank you!

(zi)(jin)Bye!