Phonetics with Chinese Characteristics

The short pronunciation course that helps beginners get started with pinyin and Mandarin phonetics.

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This short video course is designed to help beginners get their pronunciation up to speed. We will go over

  • tones and tone change rules,
  • problem vowels and diphthongs,
  • problem consonants and syllables,
  • and pinyin writing rules.

We made an effort to be brief and straight to the point, covering only these problem areas (instead of going over the entire pinyin chart). If you have had any problems with Chinese pronunciation, we hope this course will help you find the answers – and fast!


Your Instructor


Jon Long
Jon Long

“Language learning should start with simple, engaging content. Even the hardest languages become approachable with massive input on topics you love.”

Born in Xi’an, China and immigrated to Canada as a young adult, Jon studied linguistics at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. With experience learning 12 languages, including French, Korean, Japanese, and Spanish, he also studied abroad at Kyoto University, where he passed the JLPT N1 - the highest level of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). Drawing on his expertise in second-language acquisition and in linguistics, he developed the Language Player app for multilingual learning. Over the past decade, he has created Chinese Zero to Hero, a comprehensive online course series covering all levels from HSK 1 to HSK 7-9, featuring over 2,000 video lessons.


Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
We would never want you to be unhappy! If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact us in the first 30 days and we will give you a full refund.

Get started now!



In China?

We accept WeChat Pay and Alipay. Please add our WeChat - we'll give you the pricing and instructions. (please be patient with response time due to time difference)

  • WeChat ID: kendai9