To find a given final:
Remove the initial consonant. For zh-, ch-, sh-, both letters should be removed, they are single consonants spelt with two letters.
Although y- and w- are consonants nevertheless they may be considered as part of finals and do not remove those.
Syllables beginning with y- and w- may be considered as standalone forms of finals "i, u, ü" and finals beginning with "i-, u-, ü-".
If a syllable begins with j-, q-, x-, or y-, and the final is -u or starts with -u-, then change -u or -u- to -ü or -ü-.
Pinyin IPA Final-only form Explanation
-i [z̩], [ʐ̩] n/a Displayed as an "i" after: "zh", "ch", "sh", "r", "z", "c" or "s". After "z", "c" or "s", sounds like a prolonged "zzz" sound. After "zh", "ch", "sh" or "r", sounds like a prolonged American "r" sound. In some dialects, pronounced slightly more open, allowing a clear-sounding vowel to pass through (a high, central, unrounded vowel, something like IPA /ɨ/; say 'zzz' and lower the tongue just enough for the buzzing to go away).
a [ɑ] a as in "father"
o [uɔ] o starts with English "oo" and ends with a plain continental "o".
e [ɤ], [ə] e a back, unrounded vowel, which can be formed by first pronouncing a plain continental "o" (AuE and NZE law) and then spreading the lips without changing the position of the tongue. That same sound is also similar to English "duh", but not as open. Many unstressed syllables in Chinese use the schwa (idea), and this is also written as e.
ê [ɛ] (n/a) as in "bet". Only used in certain interjections.
ai [aɪ] ai like English "eye", but a bit lighter
ei [ei] ei as in "hey"
ao [ɑʊ] ao approximately as in "cow"; the a is much more audible than the o
ou [ou̯] ou as in "so"
an [an] an starts with plain continental "a" (AuE and NZE bud) and ends with "n"
en [ən] en as in "taken"
ang [ɑŋ] ang as in German Angst, including the English loan word angst (starts with the vowel sound in father and ends in the velar nasal; like song in American English)
eng [ɤŋ] eng like e above but with ng added to it at the back
ong [ʊŋ] n/a starts with the vowel sound in b'ook and ends with the velar nasal sound in sing
er [ɑɻ] er like English "are" (exists only on its own, or as the last part of a final in combination with others - see bottom of this list)
Finals beginning with i- (y-)
i [i] yi like English "ee", except when preceded by "c", "ch", "r", "s", "sh", "z" or "zh"
ia [iɑ] ya as i + a; like English "yard"
io [iɔ] yo as i + plain continental "o". Only used in certain interjections.
ie [iɛ] ye as i + ê; but is very short; e (pronounced like ê) is pronounced longer and carries the main stress (similar to the initial sound ye in yet)
iao [iɑʊ] yao as i + ao
iu [iou̯] you as i + ou
ian [iɛn] yan as i + ê + n; like English yen
in [in] yin as i + n
iang [iɑŋ] yang as i + ang
ing [iŋ] ying as i but with ng added to it at the back
iong [iʊŋ] yong as i + ong
Finals beginning with u- (w-)
u [u] wu like English "oo"
ua [ua] wa as u + a
uo [uɔ] wo as u + o; the o is pronounced shorter and lighter than in the o final
uai [uaɪ] wai as u + ai
ui [ueɪ] wei as u + ei; here, the i is pronounced like ei
uan [uan] wan as u + an
un [uən] wen as u + en; like the on in the English won
uang [uɑŋ] wang as u + ang; like the ang in English angst or anger
n/a [uɤŋ] weng as u + eng
Finals beginning with ü- (yu-)
ü [y] yu as in German "üben" or French "lune" (To get this sound, say "ee" with rounded lips)
ue [yɛ] yue as ü + ê; the ü is short and light
üan [yɛn] yuan as ü + ê+ n;
ün [yn] yun as ü + n;
Finals that are a combination of finals above + r final
ar [ɑɻ] like ar in American English "art"
er [ɤɻ] as e + r; not to be confused with er final on its own- this form only exists with an initial character before it
or [uɔɻ] as o + r
air [ɑɻ] as ar
eir [ɝ] as schwa + r
aor [ɑʊɻ] as ao + r
our [ou̯ɻ] as ou + r
anr [ɑɻ] as ar
enr [ɝ] as schwa + r
angr [ɑ̃ɻ] as ang + r, with ng removed and the vowel nasalized
engr [ɤ̃ɻ] as eng + r, with ng removed and the vowel nasalized
ongr [ʊ̃ɻ] as ong + r, with ng removed and the vowel nasalized
ir [iɝ] as i + schwa + r
ir [ɝ] after "c", "ch", "r", "s", "sh", "z", "zh": as schwa + r.
iar [iɑɻ] as i + ar
ier [iɛɻ] as ie + r
iaor [iɑʊɻ] as iao + r
iur [iou̯ɻ] as iou + r
ianr [iɑɻ] as i + ar
inr [iɝ] as ir
iangr [iɑ̃ɻ] as i + angr
ingr [iɤ̃ɻ] as i + engr
iongr [iʊ̃ɻ] as i + ongr
ur [uɻ] as u + r
uar [uɑɻ] as u + ar
uor [uɔɻ] as uo + r
uair [uɑɻ] as u + ar
uir [uɝ] as u + schwa + r
uanr [uɑɻ] as u + ar
unr [uɝ] as u + schwa + r
uangr [uɑ̃ɻ] as u + angr
ür [yɝ] as ü + schwa + r
uer [yɛɻ] as ue + r
üanr [yɑɻ] as ü + ar
ünr [yɝ] as ü + schwa + r
