sing1 mou5聲母声母
Jyutpingsing1 mou5
Yalesīng móuh
Definition
The initial consonant of a syllable.
neutralschoolcommunication
How it's used
Linguists use this term to describe the initial consonant sound of a syllable, which is a fundamental concept in Chinese phonology. While it translates to consonant, it specifically refers to the sound at the very beginning of a syllable before the vowel or glide. It is rarely used in casual daily conversation unless discussing language learning or linguistics.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Do you know how many consonants Cantonese has?
The consonant of this word is very hard to pronounce.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 韻母, which refers to the final part of the syllable including the vowel and any ending consonant. Remember that 聲母 is the start and 韻母 is the rest.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
