pronouncekit

SOUND CONTRAST

an · ang · en · eng: front and back nasal endings

Learn to hear and say an/ang, en/eng and in/ing, the nasal endings that separate many Mandarin words.

an · ang · en · eng

Mouth & tongue

Enable JavaScript to view the 3D panda. Pronunciation steps remain available below.

Vocal folds: vibrating

TongueTeethUvula

Simplified human pronunciation. The small uvula hangs from the palate; it is not the vocal folds. The wave indicates voicing.

Nasal: the soft palate lowers; air exits the nose

Sound to demonstrate
Tone

High and level, around 55 on the five-level pitch scale.

Voice settings

The mouth starts slightly open. Movement is slowed for observation; the synthetic sound plays once at its original speed. Pause holds the current mouth shape; reset returns to the relaxed position. The panda is a symbolic teaching aid for human pronunciation, not animal anatomy. A simplified teaching model, not a measured or anatomically validated simulation. It shows the soft palate lowering for nasal sounds, but not airflow. Single syllables use eSpeak NG, a synthetic voice on your device. Its pitch range is narrower than natural speech, so use the tone diagrams and word buttons as well. Words and sentences use a voice from your browser or device when one is available. No native recordings are bundled.

Words to practice

Sentence to practice

Listen and compare

Tip up at the end of the first word; tongue back at the end of the second.

Pinyin here shows dictionary tones. Spoken tones change in some contexts, such as nǐ hǎo; see the lessons on tone changes.

What you are learning

Mandarin allows only two nasal endings, and they change meaning. Many southern speakers merge en/eng and in/ing, so listen to several voices.

What your mouth is doing

For n, the tongue tip finishes on the ridge. For ng, the tip stays low and the back of the tongue rises. The vowel shifts as well: a is further forward before n and further back before ng.

Compared with English

English has the same two endings in sin and sing, so you can already make them. The vowels are what differ, particularly in an and en. Do not add a g after ng.

Build the sound, step by step

  1. Say sin and sing, and feel the different tongue positions.
  2. Say sān and sāng, adjusting the vowel with the ending.
  3. Work through the pairs below, holding the ending for a moment.

What to watch for

  • Merging the endings is a regional habit; learners should keep them apart first.
  • Adding g, as in “sing-guh”, is common for English speakers. Stop on the hum.

Related lessons

Keep practicing

References & editorial notes

PronounceKit wrote this lesson as practical guidance for English speakers, based on the references below. The comparisons are editorial teaching suggestions. It describes common Mainland Standard Mandarin patterns, not every accent or regional variety, and it has not been independently reviewed by a pronunciation specialist or Mandarin teacher.

Published 5 November 2026