How to pronounce mandarin
Say it like MAN-duh-run. Mandarin has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MAN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce mandarin. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MAN
- duh
- run
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Mandarin pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MANSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- duhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- runKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of mandarin
American and British speakers say mandarin in essentially the same way: /ˈmændərən/ in the US and /ˈmændərɪn/ in the UK.
British respelling: MAN-duh-rin.
What does mandarin mean?
- shrub or small tree having flattened globose fruit with very sweet aromatic pulp and thin yellow-orange to flame-orange rind that is loose and easily removed; native to southeastern Asia
- a member of an elite intellectual or cultural group
- any high government official or bureaucrat
Questions about saying mandarin
How do you pronounce mandarin?
Say MAN-duh-run. The American pronunciation is /ˈmændərən/. In British English it is /ˈmændərɪn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in mandarin?
Mandarin has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MAN). Broken into parts: MAN · duh · run.
Do Americans and Brits say mandarin the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈmændərən/ and the British form is /ˈmændərɪn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.