Pinyin Spelling Rules 拼写规则
Pinyin looks irregular only because the written form avoids extra letters. Four short rules cover almost everything you will see — each with real examples you can play.
1. No initial? Add y or w
When a syllable has no initial (it starts with a vowel), pinyin writes y or w in front. The sound does not change — it just keeps syllable boundaries clear. The pattern: i → y, u → w, ü → yu.
2. The two dots of ü
ü is "ee" with rounded lips. It keeps its dots only after n and l — everyone else drops them. After y, j, q, x you write plain u, but you must still say ü: jū is jü, not "joo".
3. Where the tone mark goes
A syllable has one tone mark, placed in this order: a → o → e. If there is no a, o or e (the syllable is built on i/u/ü), the mark goes on the last vowel.
4. Tones change in speech
Two patterns change the tone you write — but only the spelling rule 3 mark stays as written; the sandhi below happens when speaking:
Quick summary: y/w protect vowel-starting syllables, the ü dots survive only after n/l, the tone mark follows a → o → e (then the last vowel), and 3+3, 一 and 不 change tone in speech. That is the whole system.
Now test yourself on the full syllable chart, or move on to the HSK 1 vocabulary list and start reading real words.