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Pinyin: meaning, definitions and examples

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ
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pinyin

 

[ หˆpiหหŒjษชn ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

language system

Pinyin is a Romanization system for Standard Mandarin, which uses the Latin alphabet to transcribe Chinese characters. It serves as an important tool for teaching Chinese pronunciation to non-native speakers and is widely used in language education. Pinyin also plays a significant role in typing Chinese characters on digital devices. It was officially adopted in China in the 1950s and has become integral to Chinese linguistics and pedagogy.

Synonyms

Romanization, transliteration

Examples of usage

  • I learned to pronounce Chinese words using pinyin.
  • Pinyin helps students understand Mandarin phonetics.
  • Many language apps use pinyin for teaching Chinese.
  • Typing Chinese on a smartphone is easier with pinyin.

Translations

Translations of the word "pinyin" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น pinyin

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคชเคฟเคจเคฏเคฟเคจ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Pinyin

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ pinyin

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะฟั–ะฝัŒั—ะฝัŒ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ pinyin

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ใƒ”ใƒณใ‚คใƒณ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท pinyin

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ pinyin

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท pinyin

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๋ณ‘์Œ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุจูŠู†ูŠู†

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ pinyin

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ pinyin

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๆ‹ผ้Ÿณ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ pinyin

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ pinyin

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะฟะธะฝัŒะธะฝัŒ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒžแƒ˜แƒœแƒ˜แƒœแƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ pinyin

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ pinyin

Etymology

The term 'pinyin' comes from Chinese, literally meaning 'spelled sounds.' The system was developed in the 1950s by linguists in the People's Republic of China to create a standardized method for teaching and learning Mandarin Chinese using the Latin alphabet. Its introduction aimed to promote literacy and make the pronunciation of Mandarin accessible to non-native speakers. Pinyin has since been adopted officially by government entities and educational institutions, evolving further with technology to aid in digital communication. It contrasts with earlier romanization methods that lacked consistency and did not represent tones, which are crucial in Mandarin. Pinyin incorporates tone marks to indicate the four tones of Mandarin, enhancing its utility for learners and speakers alike. Today, pinyin is not only utilized in academic settings but also in daily life, facilitating the use of Mandarin in global communication.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #38,947, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.