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How to Pronounce z, c, s in Mandarin
Three sharp sounds made with the tongue tip near the front teeth.
Quick answer
z, c and s are made with the tongue tip near the back of the top front teeth. c has a strong puff of air; s is like English s.
z
c
s
Hear each sound, then repeat it aloud.
When to use it
Keep the tongue flat and near the front teeth
. z is like the ‘ts’ in ‘cats’, with no puff of air; c is that same ‘ts’ followed by a strong puff.
Common mistake
Do not curl the tongue back for these — that is the zh/ch/sh group, not z/c/s.
Practise aloud
早 early
菜 dish
三 three
You’ve got this!
These three are flat, front-of-the-mouth sounds. Compare them with the curled-tongue group (zh, ch, sh, r) so you can hear the difference. Try one in a word like sān (three).
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