pronouncekit

INITIAL

b: unaspirated lip stop

Pinyin b is not English b. Learn the unaspirated [p] of Mandarin: closed lips, a clean release and no puff of air.

b
Broad IPA
[p]

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.

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

Alternate each pair and only change the air, never the vowel or tone.

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

Pinyin b looks voiced, but the real contrast in Mandarin is air, not voice. It is the sound you make for the p in English spin.

What your mouth is doing

Both lips close, pressure builds lightly, and the lips part with almost no breath. The vocal folds usually stay still until the vowel starts.

Compared with English

English b in bay is often voiced and English p in pay has a strong puff. Mandarin b sits between them for most English ears. The p in spin is the closest English cue, though no English sound matches it in every context.

Build the sound, step by step

  1. Hold a tissue in front of your lips and say spin slowly, then isolate the part before the vowel.
  2. Say bā with the tissue still. It should barely move.
  3. Compare bā and pā, keeping the vowel and tone identical.

What to watch for

  • Adding a puff turns bà (father) toward pà (afraid). Keep the air in.
  • Strong English-style voicing is usually understood, but it sounds foreign. Start the voice with the vowel.

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