3.2: Vowels

Table of Vowels

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. This chapter introduces the various vowel sounds, but not the combinations used in rimes. Refer to Rimes & Accents for more info. 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
/a/	a	a	a	a	a	a
/o/	o	❌	❌	❌	o	o
/ɔ/	or	o	o	o	o͘	oo
/ɔ/, /o/ (medial)	o	o	o	o	o	o
/e/	ei	e	❌	❌	e	e
/ɛ/	e	e	ê	e	e͘	❌
/ə/	er	e	e	eu	er	er
/e/, /ɛ/, /ə/ (medial)	e	❌	ê/e	e	e	e
/ɨ/, /ɯ/	ir	i	e	eu	ir	ir
/i/	i	i	i	i	i	i
/u/	u	u	u	u	u	u

/◌̃/	~	❌	n	n	ⁿ	nn
/ʔ/	‘	❌	h	h	h	h

A

Singlor Pengim	Hokkien	Teochew	Mandarin	English	Pronunciation
a	囝 gia~	囝 gia~	家 jia	bar	link

The a vowel in Hokkien and Teochew is pronounced exactly like a in Mandarin.

Here is an example sentence that includes this vowel: The children have all grown up, and have ran off to who knows where.

Hokkien	囝	拢	大汉	了,	毋	知	走	底兜	去
Pengim	gia~	long	dua-han	liao,	m	zai	zao	di-dao	kir

 

Teochew	囝	拢	大汉	了,	毋	知	走	底块	去
Pengim	gia~	long	dua-hang	liao,	m	zai	zao	di-gor	kir

Mandarin	孩子	都	长大	了,	不	知道	跑	哪里	去
English	children	all	grow up	already,	not	know	run	where	go

O, Or the "o sounds"

Singlor Pengim	Hokkien	Teochew	Mandarin	English	Pronunciation
or	𡚸 bhor	无 bhor	龙 long	bore*	link
o	无 bho	❌	楼 lou	bowl	link
o (medial)	拢 long	拢 long, 𡚸 bhou	龙 long	bore, bowl	link, link

*note that the r sound is not pronounced (non-rhotic)

In Hokkien, there are two "o sounds", o and or. On the other hand, Teochew has one "o vowel", or. 

There is a corrrespondence between the Hokkien and Teochew "o sounds".
    1) In words where Hokkien has o, Teochew has or.  (好, 桥 rime)
    2) In words where Hokkien has final -or, Teochew has final -ou. (五 rime)
More info in Rimes & Accents!

If an "o sound" is used as a medial (used before an end consonant or vowel), it is always written as -o-. 

Here are two example sentences that include these "o sounds": There is a goose in the skies, younger brother has a wife whereas elder brother does not. (Traditional Teochew children's rhyme)

Hokkien	天顶	蜀	只	鹅,	阿弟	有	𡚸	阿兄	无
Pengim	ti~-deng	zit	zia’	gho,	a-di	u	bhor	a-hia~	bho

Teochew	天顶	蜀	只	鹅,	阿弟	有	𡚸	阿兄	无
Pengim	ti~-deng	zek	zia’	ghor,	a-di	u	bhou	a-hia~	bhor

Mandarin	天上	一	只	鹅,	弟弟	有	老婆	哥哥	没有
English	the skies	one	count.	goose,	younger brother	have	wife	elder brother	not have

And: Lelong! Lelong! Selling all for 5 dollars!

Hokkien	礼隆!	礼隆!	拢总	卖	五	箍!
Pengim	lei-long!	lei-long!	long-zong	bhuei	ghor	kor!

Teochew	礼隆!	礼隆!	拢总	卖	五	箍!
Pengim	loi-long!	loi-long!	long-zong	bhoi	ngou	kou!

Mandarin	lelong!	lelong!	全部	卖	五	块!
English	lelong!	lelong!	all	sell	five	dollar!

E, Ei, Er the "e sounds"

Singlor Pengim	Hokkien	Teochew	Mandarin	English	Pronunciation
ei	未 bhuei	❌	未 wei	way	link
e	马 bhe	未 bhue	列 lie, 天 tian	where	link
er	过 ger	险 hiem (medial)	等 deng, 乐 le	were	link
e (medial)	穿 ceng	穿 ceng	未 wei, 列 lie	way, where were	link, link, link

In Hokkien, ei occurs in the general Singaporean Hokkien accent.

In Hokkien, e occurs in certain accents. (Zhangzhou 家, 白 rime)

In Hokkien, er occurs in certain accents. (Quanzhou 过 rime)

In Teochew, e occurs in the general Singaporean Teochew accent.

In Teochew, er occurs as the -e- medial in certain accents. (Chaozhou 粒, 盐 rime)

Refer to Rimes and Accents for more info!

If an "e sound" is used as a medial (used before an end consonant or vowel), it is always written as -e-. 

Here are two example sentences that include these "e sounds": The auntie wearing white is not married yet.

Hokkien	穿	白色	衫	个	安娣	犹未	交寅
Pengim	ceng	bei'-sek	sa~	ei	an-di	a-bhuei	gao-in
Pengim*	ceng	be’-sek	sa~	ei	an-di	a-bhuei	gao-in

*Zhangzhou Accent

Teochew	穿	白色	衫	个	安娣	犹未	交寅
Pengim	ceng	be'-sek	sa~	gai	an-di	a-bhue	gao-eng

Mandarin	穿	白色	衣服	个	安娣	还没有	结婚
English	wear	white	clothes	poss.	auntie	not yet	marry

And: Crossing the road is very dangerous.

Hokkien	过	马车路	真正	危险
Pengim	guei	bhei-cia-lor	zin-zia~	wi-hiam
Pengim*	ger	bhei-cia-lor	zin-zia~	wi-hiam
Pengim**	guei	bhe-cia-lor	zin-zia~	wi-hiam

*Quanzhou Hokkien Accent
**Zhangzhou Hokkien Accent

Teochew	过	马车路	真正	危险
Pengim	gue	bhe-cia-lou	zing-zia~	wi-hiam
Pengim*	gue	bhe-cia-lou	zing-zia~	wi-hiem

*Chaozhou Teochew Accent

Mandarin	过	马路	非常	危险
English	cross	road	very	dangerous

Ir

Singlor Pengim	Hokkien	Teochew	Mandarin	English	Pronunciation
ir	猪 dir	猪 dir	子 zi	❌	link, link

In Hokkien and Teochew, the ir vowel is similar to the -i sound in Mandarin words like 子 zi, 日 ri, and 次 ci. 

Here is an example sentence that includes this vowel: You must use chopsticks to eat the fish and pork.

Hokkien	汝	爱	用	箸	食	鱼	佮	猪肉
Pengim	lir	ai	yong	dir	zia’	hir	ga’	dir-bha’

Teochew	汝	爱	用	箸	食	鱼	佮	猪肉
Pengim	lir	ai	eng	dir	zia’	hir	ga’	dir-bha’

Mandarin	你	要	用	筷子	吃	鱼	和	猪肉
English	you	need	use	chopsticks	eat	fish	and	pork

I

Singlor Pengim	Hokkien	Teochew	Mandarin	English	Pronunciation
i	面 mi	面 mi~	面 mian	bee	link

In Hokkien and Teochew, the i vowel is pronounced exactly like i in Mandarin.

Here is an example sentence that includes this vowel: Today, twenty two people ate Mee Pok in Chinatown.

Hokkien	今日	二十二	个	侬	伫	牛车水	食	面薄
Pengim	gin-nit	dzi-zap-dzi	gei	lang	di	ghu-cia-zui	zia’	mi-bok

Teochew	今日	二十二	个	侬	在	牛车水	食	面薄
Pengim	ging-dzik	dzi-zap-dzi	gai	nang	dor	ghu-cia-zui	zia’	mi~-bok

Mandarin	今天	二十二	个	人	在	牛车水	吃	面薄
English	today	twenty-two	count.	people	in	Chinatown	eat	Mee Pok

U

Singlor Pengim	Hokkien	Teochew	Mandarin	English	Pronunciation
u	有 u	有 u	五 wu	boot	link

In Hokkien and Teochew, the u vowel is pronounced exactly like u in Mandarin.

Here is an example sentence that includes this vowel: I have spare change now.

Hokkien	我	这阵	有	散镭
Pengim	wa	zit-zun	u	sua~-lui

Teochew	我	只阵	有	散镭
Pengim	wa	zi-zung	u	sua~-lui

Mandarin	我	现在	有	散钱
English	I	now	have	spare change

' , ~ not actually vowels...

Singlor Pengim	Hokkien	Teochew	Mandarin	English	Pronunciation
’	百 ba’	百 be’	❌	uh’oh	link
~	张 diu~	张 dior~	❌	❌	link

In Hokkien and Teochew, vowel sounds can be nasalised, or get cut short with a glottal stop. 

Nasalised vowels are indicated with ~, and glottalised vowels are indicated with '. These are added behind any vowel sound. 

If "e sounds" and "o sounds" are nasalised or glottalised, they do not default to a medial -e- or -o- (o', or', e', ei', er', o~, or~, e~, ei~ can all be written). 

Here is an example sentence that includes these sounds: There are eight 100-dollar bills on the table.

Hokkien	桌	顶	有	八	张	蜀	百	箍	个	纸字
Pengim	do'	deng	u	buei’	diu~	zit	ba’	kor	ei	zua-dzi

Teochew	床	顶	有	八	张	蜀	百	箍	个	纸字
Pengim	cng	deng	u	boi’	dior~	zek	be’	kou	gai	zua-dzi

Mandarin	桌子	上	有	八	张	一	百	块	的	钞票
English	table	above	have	eight	count.	one	hundred	dollar	poss.	banknote

These are the vowels used in Hokkien and Teochew!

Continue to End Consonants for more info on romanisation!

~桂壱 😉