pronouncekit

INITIAL

k: aspirated back stop

Pinyin k has a strong puff at the back of the mouth. Practice it with common words and pair it with g.

k
Broad IPA
[kʰ]

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

The tissue should jump on the first word only.

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 k uses the tongue position of g and adds a clear burst of breath.

What your mouth is doing

The back of the tongue seals against the soft palate, air builds, and a strong stream leaves on release.

Compared with English

English k in key is a good match. Keep the same strength in every position, including unstressed-looking syllables.

Build the sound, step by step

  1. Say key with a hand before your mouth.
  2. Say kē, letting the air pass before the vowel starts.
  3. Say kāfēi and kěyǐ with the same puff.

What to watch for

  • A weak release makes kāi (to open) sound like gāi (should).
  • Do not move the tongue forward for k before i-like sounds; Mandarin spells those with q.

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