Pronunciation · Beginner

How to Pronounce j, q, x in Mandarin

Learn a practical mouth position for three sounds that often confuse English-speaking beginners.

Quick answer

For j, q, and x, keep the tongue tip low behind the bottom teeth and let the middle of your tongue approach the roof of your mouth.

几

jǐ

how many

七

qī

seven

谢谢

xièxie

thank you

Hear the phrase, then repeat it aloud.

When to use it

Use the same tongue position for all three sounds. The difference is how the air and friction are released.

Do not pronounce q like the English letter name ‘cue’, and do not turn x into a strong English ‘ks’ sound.

jǐ, jǐ, jǐ 几 how many

qī, qī, qī 七 seven

xièxie 谢谢 thank you

Practise the three sounds as a family instead of learning them separately. Keep the tongue position stable and listen for the change in airflow.

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