This article summarizes the phonology of Standard Chinese, also known as Standard Mandarin. Actual production varies widely among speakers, as people inadvertently introduce elements of their native dialects. By contrast, television and radio announcers are chosen for their pronunciation accuracy and standard accent.
Consonants
The following is the consonant inventory of Standard Chinese, transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA):
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|+ Consonant phonemes of Standard Chinese
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!
!Labial
!(Denti-)Alveolar
!colspan="2"|Retroflex
!(Al...