How to pronounce Chinese names?

[elbosco]

I have to meet with a number of Chinese graduate students tomorrow and I could use some help pronouncing their names. Knowing some of the members here of Asian, I'd appreciate if you guys could phonetically spell the following names for me:

Xiaoqing Cao
Guifeng Liu
Xiang Chen
Di Cao
Xuan Wi
Jin Fan
Lu Ouyang
Chiyu Zhu
Wen Wen
Hanseong Kim
Junqi Xe
Hailing Wang

Thanks.

 

[Baked]

Here's a thought. ASK THEM!

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Originally posted by: elbosco
Hailing Wang

You can't pronounce even that one?

 

[UncleWai]

Xiao = Popo ZAO <---- that sound
Qing = Ching (like beloved patriot with the g sound)
Xuan = Swan but downplay the w sound.
Wen Wen = Just laugh at that name, even I find it funny.
Hailing Wang = .......

 

[PHiuR]

wang = wong

 

[elbosco]

Originally posted by: Baked
Here's a thought. ASK THEM!

I would imagine it would be more productive (not to mention courteous) to know their names right off the bat, but thank you for your generous contribution to my thread.

 

[elbosco]

Originally posted by: HamburgerBoy

Originally posted by: elbosco
Hailing Wang

You can't pronounce even that one?

Not with a straight face.

 

[eelw]

Cao = cow

 

[Whisper]

Originally posted by: elbosco

Originally posted by: Baked
Here's a thought. ASK THEM!

I would imagine it would be more productive (not to mention courteous) to know their names right off the bat, but thank you for your generous contribution to my thread.

In those types of situations, the most courteous and productive thing to do is in fact ask.

 

[LongCoolMother]

Originally posted by: elbosco

Originally posted by: HamburgerBoy

Originally posted by: elbosco
Hailing Wang

You can't pronounce even that one?

Not with a straight face.

"Hi-Ling Wong."

 

[NoShangriLa]

Chinese language is a phonetic language and the Western characters that you wrote is a bastardize version of their name, therefore it will not offend them if you ask your Chinese colleagues to coach you to pronounce their name.

 

[Whisper]

Originally posted by: NoShangriLa
Chinese language is a phonetic language and the Western characters that you wrote is a bastardize version of their name, therefore it will not offend them if you ask your Chinese colleagues to coach you to pronounce their name.

Exactly. It shouldn't be seen as discourteous or offensive by anyone to ask how to properly pronounce his/her name.

 

[Baked]

You never met any Chinese people have you? The only person who knows how to pronounce a Chinese name correctly is the in fact THE Chinese person with the Chinese name. I work in a lab w/ a lot of foreign PhDs from China and Taiwan. My co-worker always ask me how to pronounce their names 'cause she assumes me being an Asian would know. I'm like, are you serious? I fvcking grew up in this country, I have no idea how to pronounce these people's names with the weird ass spelling in English letters. If you wanna know, go ask them yourself.

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: UncleWai
Xiao = Popo ZAO <---- that sound
Qing = Ching (like beloved patriot with the g sound)
Xuan = Swan but downplay the w sound.
Wen Wen = Just laugh at that name, even I find it funny.
Hailing Wang = .......

that's completely wrong, unless you're doing cantonese which i dont know

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: elbosco
I have to meet with a number of Chinese graduate students tomorrow and I could use some help pronouncing their names. Knowing some of the members here of Asian, I'd appreciate if you guys could phonetically spell the following names for me:

Xiaoqing Cao -> shiao ching cao(soft c, not hard c like in cow)
Guifeng Liu -> goo-eh(1 syllable) feng leuw
Xiang Chen -> shiangh chen
Di Cao -> di cao
Xuan Wi - sheuan we
Jin Fan - jin fan
Lu Ouyang - lu Oh yang
Chiyu Zhu - chiyi zhu
Wen Wen - wen wen
Hanseong Kim - this is korean so im not sure
Junqi Xe - jwing chi sheh
Hailing Wang - hi ling wang

Thanks.

that's as close to phoenetic as i could make it

 

[r6ashih]

knee fam pee

 

[dighn]

Originally posted by: Mo0o

Originally posted by: elbosco
I have to meet with a number of Chinese graduate students tomorrow and I could use some help pronouncing their names. Knowing some of the members here of Asian, I'd appreciate if you guys could phonetically spell the following names for me:

Xiaoqing Cao -> shiao ching cao(soft c, not hard c like in cow)
Guifeng Liu -> goo-eh(1 syllable) feng leuw
Xiang Chen -> shiangh chen
Di Cao -> di cao
Xuan Wi - sheuan we
Jin Fan - jin fan
Lu Ouyang - lu Oh yang
Chiyu Zhu - chiyi zhu
Wen Wen - wen wen
Hanseong Kim - this is korean so im not sure
Junqi Xe - jwing chi sheh
Hailing Wang - hi ling wang

Thanks.

that's as close to phoenetic as i could make it

that's very close. a couple of things:

cao - this is pronouced as "tzao"
chi - this is very difficult to pronouce for non-mandarin speakers. it's like "tz" but with a tongue curl. just say "chi"

 

[tk149]

Originally posted by: elbosco
I have to meet with a number of Chinese graduate students tomorrow and I could use some help pronouncing their names. Knowing some of the members here of Asian, I'd appreciate if you guys could phonetically spell the following names for me:

Xiaoqing Cao
Guifeng Liu
Xiang Chen
Di Cao
Xuan Wi
Jin Fan
Lu Ouyang
Chiyu Zhu
Wen Wen
Hanseong Kim
Junqi Xe
Hailing Wang

Thanks.

I'm a native English speaker who's been taking Mandarin lessons for about 18 months. Typing these pronunciations is basically impossible, since a lot of Chinese phonemes just are NOT like any English phonemes. I still cannot pronounce some of the sounds properly.

Also, there are 4 different tones possible for each syllable, and pronunciation of the tones changes the meaning of the word. Also, there's no guarantee that those names are in mandarin pinyin anyway.

I'll try anyway...

Xiaoqing Cao = sheow-cheeng tsow
Guifeng Liu = gway-fung leoo
Xiang Chen = she-ang chen
Di Cao = di tsao
Xuan Wi = shuan wi
Jin Fan = jeen fan
Lu Ouyang = loo oo-yang
Chiyu Zhu = chir-you jew
Wen Wen = wen wen
Hanseong Kim = this looks korean to me
Junqi Xe = joon-chee sheay
Hailing Wang = hi-ling wahng

Pinyin pronunciation