In Pinyin theory, the consanont "J" should represent the "dy" sound, but when I listen to CDs it sound so me like they are just pronouncing the consanant "J" as "J" as in English ("Just", "Jump" for example).
I know Mandarin speakers use Hanzi instead of characters, so I use Zhongwen Zi below as examples:
When you pronounce (就 = Jiu4) do you say the "dy" sound or the English "J" used in "Jump", "Just"
How does the pronounciation of (Ji1 = 乩) compare to (汁 = Zhi1)....Do you say the "乩" with a "dy" sound or an English "J" sound.
I think the best thing for me to do is to make a Mandarin friend, and hear him/her speak, but I have no Mandarin people in my surroundings or in my neighberhood ect. thus I ask this question on Y/A
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I appreciate your kindness.
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Answers & Comments
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就 = Jiu4, you say the "dy" sound
Ji1 = 乩, you say the "乩" with a "dy" sound
I am a native Mandarin speaker.
Actually, "Zhi" in Pinyin is almost like the English "J" in Just, Jump, June, and "G" in garaGe, miraGe, damaGe.
The lip shape should be the same to pronounce "Ji" and "Zhi" in Pinyin, but the difference is the Ending position of your tongue tip. "Ji": tongue tip at the front, slightly touches your lower front teeth. "Zhi": tongue slightly retreats; tongue muscle tenses but not touching any part inside your mouth. Same as the "garaGe" and "damaGe" right?
You do need to practise "Ji" by following native Mandarin speakers, since there is no English equivalence. The ending tongue position of "Ji" is almost exactly the same as the "Y" in YEAst and YIEld. Difficult part is the starting position. You don't block the airway in YEAst, and YIEld. But you have to briefly block the airway to start "Ji". Try to get ready to pronounce "Yee" in English, but block the airway by touching the hard palate (Right after your upper front teeth) with your front tongue. Slightly relax your tongue to form a very narrow pathway for pressed air to go through. Then you will have a close "Ji" in Pinyin.
'j' and 'z' sounds the same in Mandarin. It's the vowels following them that sound different. Like 'ji' and 'zi' would sound very different but the initial consonant sound is the same.
As for sounding like the letter 'j' in English words like 'jump', I have to disagree. It's quite different. It's really hard to explain in writing but I think when we say the English 'j', our lips are slightly rounded while in Mandarin, we don't do that.
j has the same pronounciation with english, yah like jump, japan, jordan.. etc.. while the zh is pronounce as dg like fuDGe.
actually,it is neither 'dy' nor 'j', it is more like 'j',but you have to stick your tongue against your lower teeth.