How to pronounce China
China (the country) is 中国 in Chinese, written Zhōngguó in pinyin and said joong-gwaw.
中国
joong-gwaw
Sound by sound
- 中joongFirst tone: high and level
- 国gwawSecond tone: rising, as in a question
Letters to watch
- Zh is said like the j in “jam”, with the tongue curled back. Not “z”.
- Ong rhymes with the “oo” of “book” plus ng, not with “long”.
Places
- Beijing 北京 bay-jeeng
- Shanghai 上海 shahng-high
- Guangzhou 广州 gwahng-joh
- Shenzhen 深圳 shun-jun
- Chongqing 重庆 choong-cheeng
- Chengdu 成都 chung-doo
- Xi’an 西安 shee-ahn
- Hangzhou 杭州 hahng-joh
- Suzhou 苏州 soo-joh
- Nanjing 南京 nahn-jeeng
- Wuhan 武汉 woo-hahn
- Tianjin 天津 tyen-jeen
- Qingdao 青岛 cheeng-dow
- Xiamen 厦门 shyah-mun
- Harbin 哈尔滨 hah-ar-been
- Kunming 昆明 kwun-meeng
- Guilin 桂林 gway-leen
- Zhengzhou 郑州 jung-joh
- Changsha 长沙 chahng-shah
- Dalian 大连 dah-lyen
- Shenyang 沈阳 shun-yahng
- Xinjiang 新疆 sheen-jyahng
- Tibet (Xizang) 西藏 shee-dzahng
- Taiwan 台湾 tie-wahn
- Taipei 台北 tie-bay
- the Yangtze (Changjiang) 长江 chahng-jyahng
How do you pronounce China?
China (the country) is 中国 in Chinese, written Zhōngguó in pinyin and said joong-gwaw.
What are the tones in China?
zhōng: first tone, high and level; guó: second tone, rising, as in a question.
What do English speakers get wrong in China?
Zh is said like the j in “jam”, with the tongue curled back. Not “z”. Ong rhymes with the “oo” of “book” plus ng, not with “long”.
More free tools
Voices recorded for our word cards. A spelling such as “shyow-mee” is the nearest English sound, not the sound itself: hear the voices.