Why do "u" sound sometimes pronounce like "ü" sound?

Student: "This is so irritating! Why do "u" sound sometimes pronounce like"ü" sound?"

That's because in the Chinese Pinyin system, the two dots (¨) used to represent the "ü" sound disappear in certain situations:

• When followed by the initials "j", "q", "x", or "y", the "ü" sound is represented simply by "u". For example:

• 居 "ju" is pronounced like "jü" ("ju" is written as "ju" )

• 區"qu" is pronounced like "qü" ("qu" is written as "qu" )

• 需"xu" is pronounced like "xü" ("xu" is written as "xu" )

• 瘀"yu" is pronounced like "yü" ("yu" is written as "yu" )

We have similar mouth shape when we pronounce initials "j", "q", "x", and "y" sounds

- our mouth shape become flat

You may try to memorize that when "ü" sound meets flat mouth shape initials "j", "q", "x", and "y",

two dots (¨) wanna run away.

希望對你有幫助！

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