pronouncekit

INITIAL

h: back fricative

Mandarin h has friction near the soft palate, unlike English h. Learn the rougher sound in hǎo and hē.

h
Broad IPA
[x]

Mouth & tongue

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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

Compare steady friction with a stop made in the same place.

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

This is not English h. Mainland standard speech has audible friction further back in the mouth.

What your mouth is doing

The back of the tongue rises close to the soft palate without sealing it, and air creates friction through the narrow gap. Friction is often lighter before some vowels and in Taiwan Mandarin.

Compared with English

English h in hat is only breath at the throat. The ch of Scottish loch is a closer cue for the place, although Mandarin h is usually gentler. A plain English h is understood, but sounds foreign.

Build the sound, step by step

  1. Say k and hold the tongue where it is, then lower it slightly.
  2. Let air pass until you hear soft friction.
  3. Say hē and hǎo, keeping the friction into the vowel.

What to watch for

  • A breathy English h makes hěn hǎo sound weak. Add a little back friction.
  • A full closure turns h into k. The air should never stop.

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