How to pronounce Qin Shi Huang

Qin Shi Huang (China’s first emperor) is 秦始皇 in Chinese, written Qínshǐhuáng in pinyin and said cheen-shr-hwahng.

秦始皇 Qínshǐhuáng

cheen-shr-hwahng

Sound by sound

秦qíncheenSecond tone: rising, as in a question
始shǐshrThird tone: low, dipping down
皇huánghwahngSecond tone: rising, as in a question

Letters to watch

Q is said like the ch in “cheese”, with the tongue forward. Never “k” or “kw”.
After z, c, s, zh, ch, sh and r, the i is no “ee”: the first sound is held on, like a buzz.

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How do you pronounce Qin Shi Huang?

Qin Shi Huang (China’s first emperor) is 秦始皇 in Chinese, written Qínshǐhuáng in pinyin and said cheen-shr-hwahng.

What are the tones in Qin Shi Huang?

qín: second tone, rising, as in a question; shǐ: third tone, low, dipping down; huáng: second tone, rising, as in a question.

What do English speakers get wrong in Qin Shi Huang?

Q is said like the ch in “cheese”, with the tongue forward. Never “k” or “kw”. After z, c, s, zh, ch, sh and r, the i is no “ee”: the first sound is held on, like a buzz.

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Voices recorded for our word cards. A spelling such as “shyow-mee” is the nearest English sound, not the sound itself: hear the voices.