j q x vs zh ch sh

How to tell them apart

j, q and x are said with the middle of the tongue raised to the hard palate and the lips spread, and only ever come before i or ü. zh, ch and sh curl the tip back instead. So xi sounds bright, like a soft “shee”, and shi darker, with a buzz in place of the ee.

The i is the giveaway: after j, q and x it is a clear ee (鸡 jī); after zh, ch and sh it is a buzz held on the consonant (知 zhī).

Questions

What is the difference between j q x or zh ch sh in pinyin?

j, q and x are said with the middle of the tongue raised to the hard palate and the lips spread, and only ever come before i or ü.

What is a minimal pair in Mandarin?

Two syllables that differ by one sound and nothing else, such as zhī and zī, or fàn and fàng. Hearing them apart is the first step to saying them apart, and to understanding fast speech.

Practise the tones too

Tone pair chart: all 20 tone pairs, each a word to hear. Pinyin trainer: hear a word and name its tones. Tone practice: say a word and see your pitch over a native speaker’s. Pinyin chart: every syllable in all four tones.