You might be surprised to find out that many Chinese sounds are actually quite easy to pronounce. However, there are a few sounds that are notoriously difficult for English speakers to master. In this article, we'll take a look at the hardest Chinese sounds and how you can improve your pronunciation.

Similar... but not the same. "x", "q", and "j"

Several Chinese sounds seem to have English equivalents, however, they are not quite the same and native speakers will give ou funny looks if you pronounce these sounds incorrectly. Let's take a look at some of the most common examples.

The "X" Sound

Sounds like the English "sh" sound, but not quite.

Maybe you knoew the word Xiexie (谢谢) which means "thank you" and you've heard it pronounced as "Shie-shie". Well, if you say the "sh" like like you would when pronouncing "shoe" then that's not how it's pronounced. The "X" sound is one of the hardest Chinese sounds for English speakers to pronounce. The "X" sound is made by placing the tip of your tongue against the back of your upper teeth. The "X" sound is used to make many common words like "Xia" (下) and "Xian" (先).

Some "X" words to practice with

Xia (下)
Xian (先)
Xiang (想)
Xie (谢)
Xing (行)

The "Q" Sound

The "Q" sound is also quite difficult for non-native speakers to pronounce. It sounds like the English "ch" sound, but more guttural. To make the "Q" sound, the tip of your tongue should be touching the back of your lower teeth. It is used in many common words like "Qian" (钱) and "Qing" (请).

Some "Q" words to practice with

Qian (钱)
Qing (请)
Qi (气)
Qu (去)
Quan (全)

The "J" Sound

The "J" sound is similar to the English "j" sound, however, it is more guttural. To make the "J" sound, you should place the tip of your tongue against the back of your upper teeth. This sound is used for many common words like "Jia" (家) and "Jiu" (九).

Some "J" words to practice with

Jia (家)
Jiu (九)
Jing (精)
Juan (卷)
Jun (军)

Totally Different

The dreaded ü sound. This sound does not exist in English and can be quite challenging for English speakers to pronounce.

To make the ü sound, the tip of your tongue should be touching the roof of your mouth just behind your front teeth. It is used in many common words like "yü" (愉) and "yüe" (月).

Some "ü" words to practice with

Yü (愉)
Yüe (月)
Nü (女)
Yün (云)

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