How to pronounce Liu Cixin

Liu Cixin (the author of The Three-Body Problem) is 刘慈欣 in Chinese, written Liúcíxīn in pinyin and said lyoh-tsuh-sheen.

刘慈欣 Liúcíxīn

lyoh-tsuh-sheen

Sound by sound

刘liúlyohSecond tone: rising, as in a question
慈cítsuhSecond tone: rising, as in a question
欣xīnsheenFirst tone: high and level

Letters to watch

Iu is said “yoh”: liu is “lyoh”, not “lee-oo”.
C is said like the ts in “cats”. Never “k” or “s”.
After z, c, s, zh, ch, sh and r, the i is no “ee”: the first sound is held on, like a buzz.
X is said like the sh in “she”, with the tongue behind the bottom teeth. Never “z” or “ks”.

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How do you pronounce Liu Cixin?

Liu Cixin (the author of The Three-Body Problem) is 刘慈欣 in Chinese, written Liúcíxīn in pinyin and said lyoh-tsuh-sheen.

What are the tones in Liu Cixin?

liú: second tone, rising, as in a question; cí: second tone, rising, as in a question; xīn: first tone, high and level.

What do English speakers get wrong in Liu Cixin?

Iu is said “yoh”: liu is “lyoh”, not “lee-oo”. C is said like the ts in “cats”. Never “k” or “s”. After z, c, s, zh, ch, sh and r, the i is no “ee”: the first sound is held on, like a buzz. X is said like the sh in “she”, with the tongue behind the bottom teeth. Never “z” or “ks”.

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