Jyutping converter
Convert Chinese characters to Jyutping and Yale romanization, with color coded tones for every syllable.
Jyutping, Yale, and Pinyin
Jyutping is the modern standard for writing Cantonese pronunciation, created in 1993 by the Linguistic Society of Hong Kong. Yale is an older Cantonese system, while Pinyin is for Mandarin, not Cantonese. Here is how the three compare.
| Jyutping | Yale | Pinyin | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language | Cantonese | Cantonese | Mandarin |
| Tones | 6, written as numbers | 6, written as accents | 4, written as accents |
| 你好 (hello) | nei5 hou2 | néih hóu | nǐ hǎo |
| Best for | Typing, apps, dictionaries | Older textbooks | Learning Mandarin |
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as Mandarin pinyin?
No. Pinyin is for Mandarin. Jyutping is specifically for Cantonese and encodes six tones rather than four. The same Chinese characters will produce different romanization depending on which language you are reading them in.
Why do some characters show as unknown?
The converter uses a 124,000 entry Cantonese dictionary. Very rare characters, highly specialized terms, or typos may not have an entry. Single characters are always looked up first, then multi-character words are matched longest-first.
How accurate is the romanization?
The data comes from CC-Canto and CC-CEDICT with Cantonese readings. For most everyday words it is accurate. Some characters have multiple readings depending on context (polyphones), and this tool returns the most common reading. If you see a reading that looks off, click through to the full dictionary entry for alternatives.
Can I convert traditional and simplified characters?
Yes, both are supported. The dictionary contains both forms for every entry, so you can paste either.
Is this tool free?
Yes, completely free and with no signup required. If you want to practice pronunciation with audio and speech recognition, the YumCha iOS app offers lessons, flashcards, and native Hong Kong audio.
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