How to pronounce Pinyin
Say it like PIN-yin. Pinyin has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PIN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Pinyin. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PIN
- yin
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Pinyin pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PINSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- yinKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of Pinyin
American and British speakers say Pinyin in essentially the same way: /ˈpɪnjɪn/ in the US and /ˈpɪnjɪn/ in the UK.
British respelling: PIN-yin.
What does Pinyin mean?
- A phonetic script or romanization system for various languages spoken in the People's Republic of China, e.g. Tibetan
Questions about saying Pinyin
How do you pronounce Pinyin?
Say PIN-yin. The American pronunciation is /ˈpɪnjɪn/. In British English it is /ˈpɪnjɪn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Pinyin?
Pinyin has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PIN). Broken into parts: PIN · yin.
Do Americans and Brits say Pinyin the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈpɪnjɪn/ and the British form is /ˈpɪnjɪn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.