3.1: Initial Consonants

Table of Initial Consonants

Here is the table again for easier reference! I will be going though every sound with a few example words. Romanisation follows the Singlor Pengim system. Pronunciation in the example sentences follow my parents' accents unless stated otherwise.

IPA	Singlor Pengim	Hanyu Pinyin	Teochew Peng’im	GGN Peng’im	POJ	Tai-lo
/pʰ/	p	p	p	p	ph	ph
/p/	b	b	b	b	p	p
/b/	bh	❌	bh	bh	b	b
/kʰ/	k	k	k	k	kh	kh
/k/	g	g	g	g	k	k
/g/	gh	❌	gh	gh	g	g
/tʰ/	t	t	t	t	th	th
/t/	d	d	d	d	t	t
/d/, /ɾ/	dh	❌	❌	❌	l	l
/tsʰ/	c	c/q	c	ch	chh	tsh
/ts/	z	z/j	z	j	ch	ts
/dz/	dz	❌	r	y	j	j
/dʒ/	j	❌	❌	❌	j	j
/m/	m	m	m	m	m	m
/n/	n	n	n	n	n	n
/ŋ/	ng	❌	ng	ng	ng	ng
/l/	l	l	l	l	l	l
/h/	h	h	h	h	h	h
/s/	s	s/x	s	s	s	s
/w/	w	w	u	u	o	u
/j/	y	y	i	i	i	i

P, B, Bh 

Singlor Pengim	Hokkien	Teochew	Mandarin	English	Pronunciation
p	拍 pa’	拍 pa’	拍 pai	pat	link
b	八 buei’	八 boi’	八 ba	spoon	link
bh	𡚸 bhor	𡚸 bhou	❌	ball	link

Hokkien and Teochew have the bh initial which Mandarin does not have. The other initials, p- and b-, are pronounced exactly like Mandarin p- and b-.

Here is an example sentence which includes all three of these initials: Eight wives beat eight husbands to death.

Hokkien	八	个	𡚸	拍死	八	个	翁
Pengim	buei'	ei	bhor	pa'-si	buei'	ei	ang

 

Teochew	八	个	𡚸	拍死	八	个	翁
Pengim	boi'	gai	bhou	pa'-si	boi'	gai	ang

Mandarin	八	个	老婆	打死	八	个	老公
English	eight	(counter)	wife	beat to death	eight	(counter)	husband

K, G, Gh

Singlor Pengim	Hokkien	Teochew	Mandarin	English	Pronunciation
k	齿 ki	齿 ki	卡 ka	card	link
g	公 gong	公 gong	公 gong	scan	link
gh	牙 ghei	牙 ghe	❌	game	link

Hokkien and Teochew have the gh- initial which Mandarin does not have. The other initials, k- and g-, are pronounced exactly like Mandarin k- and g-.

Here is an example sentence which includes all three of these initials: How could Toothless Grandpa have teeth? 

Hokkien	无牙	阿公	吗喏	有	喙齿?
Pengim?	bho-ghei	a-gong	ma-na	u	cui-ki?

Teochew	无牙	阿公	吗喏	有	齿?
Pengim	bhor-ghe	a-gong	ma-na	u	ki?

Mandarin	无牙	阿公	哪里	有	牙齿?
English	toothless	grandpa	how can	have	teeth?
Singlish	Bogay	Ah Gong	where	got	teeth?

T, D, Dh

Singlor Pengim	Hokkien	Teochew	Mandarin	English	Pronunciation
t	汤 tng	汤 tng	汤 tang	talk	link
d	大 dua	公 dua	大 da	stamp	link
dh	日 dhit	❌	❌	dog	link, link

*dh- and l- may occur in the same words and are variations of each other in Hokkien. Teochew does not have dh-. 

Hokkien has the initial dh- which Mandarin does not have. The Hokkien and Teochew initials, t- and d-, are pronounced exactly like Mandarin t- and d-.

Here is an example sentence which includes two of these initials: Big Boss likes to eat Cheng Tng.

Hokkien	大	头家	舒合	食	清汤
Pengim	dua	tao-gei	su-ga’	zia'	ceng-tng

Teochew	大	头家	舒合	食	清汤
Pengim	dua	tao-ge	su-ga’	zia'	ceng-tng

Mandarin	大	老板	喜欢	吃	清汤
Pengim	big	boss	like	eat	Cheng Tng

C, Z, J, Dz

Singlor Pengim	Hokkien	Teochew	Mandarin	English	Pronunciation
c	手 ciu	手 ciu	七 qi, 参 can	❌	link
z	前 zeng	前 zoi~	鸡 ji, 在 zai	❌	link
j	日 jit	❌	❌	jam	link
dz	日 dzit	日 dzik	❌	❌	link

*dz- and j- occur in the same words and are variations of each other in Hokkien. Teochew does not have j-.

Hokkien and Teochew have the dz-/j- initial which Mandarin does not have. The other initials, c- and z-, are pronounced exactly like Mandarin c-/q- and z-/j-.

Here is an example sentence which includes all four of these initials: Everyday before eating, you must wash your hands.

Hokkien	逐日	食饭	前	爱	洗手
Pengim	dak-dzit/jit	zia'-bng	zeng	ai	suei-ciu

Teochew	逐日	食饭	前	爱	洗手
Pengim	dak-dzik	zia'-bung	zoi~	ai~	soi-ciu

Mandarin	每天	吃饭	前	要	洗手
English	everyday	eat	before	must	wash hands

M, N, Ng

Singlor Pengim	Hokkien	Teochew	Mandarin	English	Pronunciation
m	妈 ma	妈 ma	妈 ma	mum	link
n	两 nng	两 nor	南 nan	north	link
ng	五 ngor	五 ngou	❌	❌	link

Hokkien and Teochew have the ng- initial which Mandarin does not have. The other initials, m- and n-, are pronounced exactly like Mandarin m- and n-.

Here is an example sentence which includes all three of these initials: Mom cooked two pieces of Ngoh Hiang. 

Hokkien	妈妈	煮	了	两	粒	五香
Pengim	ma-ma	zir	liao	nng	liap	ngor-hiang

Teochew	妈妈	煮	了	两	粒	五香
Pengim	ma-ma	zir	liou	nor	liap	ngou-hiang

Mandarin	妈妈	煮	了	两	粒	五香
English	mum	cook	already	two	pieces*	Ngoh Hiang

*粒 is the counter for round objects, like a piece of Ngoh Hiang.

L

Singlor Pengim	Hokkien	Teochew	Mandarin	English	Pronunciation
l	力 lat	力 lak	力 li	luck	link

Hokkien and Teochew have the l- initial which is pronounced exactly like Mandarin l-.

Here is an example sentence which includes this initial: Damn it! You don't have enough money!

Hokkien	食力!	汝	无够	镭	咧!
Pengim	zia-lat!	lir	bho-gao	lui	lei!

 

Teochew	食力!	汝	无够	镭	咧
Pengim	zia-lak!	lir	bhor-gao	lui	le!

Mandarin	糟糕!	你	不够	钱	咧!
English	Damn it!	you	not enough	money!
Singlish	Jialat!	you	not enough	money	leh!

H

Singlor Pengim	Hokkien	Teochew	Mandarin	English	Pronunciation
h	还 heng	还 hai~	还 huan	happy	link

Hokkien and Teochew have the h- initial which is pronounced exactly like Mandarin h-.

Here is an example sentence which includes this initial: Huh? I have already paid! 

Hokkien	唅?	我	有	还镭	了!
Pengim	ha~?	wa	u	heng-lui	liao!

Teochew	唅?	我	有	还镭	了!
Pengim	ha~?	wa	u	hai~-lui	liou!

Mandarin	哈?	我	有	还钱	了!
English	huh?	I	have	pay	already!
Singlish	hah?	I	got	pay	liao!

S

Singlor Pengim	Hokkien	Teochew	Mandarin	English	Pronunciation
s	衫 sa~	衫 sa~	三 san/星 xing	star	link

Hokkien and Teochew have the s- initial which is pronounced exactly like Mandarin s-/x-.

Here is an example sentence which includes this initial: Its raining, quickly go and keep the clothes.

Hokkien	落雨	了,	较紧	去	收	衫裤
Pengim	lo'-hor	liao,	ka’-gin	kir	siu	sa~-kor

Teochew	落雨	咯,	猛猛	去	收	衫裤
Pengim	lor'-hou	lou,	me~-me~	kir	siu	sa~-kou

Mandarin	下雨	了,	快点	去	收	衣服
English	start raining	already,	quickly	go	keep	clothes

W, Y*

Singlor Pengim	Hokkien	Teochew	Mandarin	English	Pronunciation
w	话 wei	话 we	尾 wei	way	link
u	话 uei	话 ue	❌	ooze	link
y	盐 yam	盐 yam	盐 yan	yes	link
i	盐 iam	盐 iam	❌	in	link

Singaporean Hokkien and Teochew have the w- and y- 'initials' which are pronounced exactly like Mandarin w- and y-. 

*Singlor Pengim uses w- and y- for [w] and [j] 'initials' in contrast to i- and u- for [i] and [u] zero-initials, whereas other systems only use i- and u-. In Singapore, i- and u- zero-initials are often pronounced as w- and y- 'initials'. Listen and see if you can notice the difference.

Here is an example sentence which includes both these 'initials', and their zero-initial counterparts: Everytime he speaks, he exaggerates, do not learn from him.

Hokkien	伊	讲话	逐摆	加盐加醋,	汝	莫	学	伊
Pengim	i	gong-wei	da'-bai	gei-yam gei-cor,	lir	mai	o'	i
Pengim	i	gong-uei	da'-bai	gei-iam gei-cou,	lir	mai	o'	i

Teochew	伊	呾话	逐摆	加盐加醋,	汝	莫	学	伊
Pengim	i	da~-we	da'-bai	ge-yam ge-cor,	lir	mai	or'	i
Pengim	i	da~-ue	da'-bai	ge-iam ge-cou,	lir	mai	or'	i

Mandarin	他	讲话	每次	加盐加醋,	你	不要	学	他
English	he	speak	everytime	exaggerate,	you	do not	learn	him

These are all the initials used in Singaporean Hokkien and Teochew! 

Continue to Vowels for more info on romanisation!

~桂壱 🤠