<p>It is a non-standard pronunciation, but it is reasonably common. It is not in any way associated with the Fuzhou dialect specifically — even some northerners say qigai. Here's an interesting <a href="http://sinoglot.com/blog/2011/10/knee/" rel="nofollow">blog post and discussion</a> about the free variation of the pronunciations of knee.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-25T21:32:16.603Z
My understanding (without any proof) is that xi1 is prescriptive pronunciation made by some committee, as every one person I know pronounces it as qi1 before "corrected" by a school teacher. My and my friends' parents came from all over China, they all say qi1 gai4.
NS.X.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-25T22:04:22.527Z
I have heard of both. I pronounce it like xi1gai4.
deutschZuid
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-26T03:22:03.850Z
Another thing I've learnt form this site! Everyone I know pronounces it as qigai.
going
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-29T09:07:18.360Z
Most native speakers pronounce it as `qigai`. But in an exam like college entrance exam, usually there is a question for phonetic symbols. And `qigai` is considered incorrect here. Also in any serious programme in TV or radio, professional broadcasters pronounce it as `xigai`.
halfelf
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-07T11:12:29.617Z
@halfelf …So I'm a guy who isn't belong to the _most_囧. I believe with the development of elementary education, `xīgài` will be more and more popular.
xzczd
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-20T02:12:04.213Z
if someone pronounce `纤xiān 维wéi` (fiber) as `千qiān 维wéi`, then we call him/her `秀才不识字，读半边` (XiuCai can't read, so he read half of the word)
LiuYan 刘研
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-25T19:08:03.793Z
2012-10-27T17:55:20.787Z
2012-10-27T17:55:20.787Z
Stumpy Joe Pete
<p>Xi1 Gai4 is the standard pronunciation in Mandarin; If you are taking an exam, Xi1 Gai4 is the only correct answer.</p>

<p>But in daily life, Qi1 Gai4 is so widely used that most Chinese don't distinguish them.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-20T02:07:03.963Z
i don't think `Qi1 Gai4` is widely used.
LiuYan 刘研
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-05T17:11:08.773Z
2012-11-05T17:11:08.773Z
user1769066
<p>:-) don't waste time on this. Xi1 Gai4 is correct and will be more and more popular.</p>

<p>FYI
<a href="http://www.zdic.net/zd/zi/ZdicE8Zdic86Zdic9D.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.zdic.net/zd/zi/ZdicE8Zdic86Zdic9D.htm</a></p>

<p>If you are preparing an exam, keep Xi1 in mind, or feel free to pronounce it. In China, there's numerous dialects. If you live in a small village of Fujian, you may even not understand what the neighboring village's people saying because of the mountains. This is the reason why people need Mandarin living in this big country with so many mountains, especially in South China.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-05T15:45:19.730Z
2012-11-05T15:45:19.730Z
picospuch
<p>My daughter's preschool has a Mandarin language immersion program and the teacher (from Fuzhou, Fujian province) seems to pronounce "knee" (膝盖) as qīgài instead of xīgài. </p>

<p>Is qīgài a correct alternative pronunciation, or is her own dialect incorrectly corrupting her Mandarin pronunciation? If the latter, what other pronunciation errors is she likely to make?</p>

<pronunciation>
Is there more than one way to pronounce "knee" in Chinese?
# Is there more than one way to pronounce "knee" in Chinese?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-10-25)

My daughter's preschool has a Mandarin language immersion program and the teacher (from Fuzhou, Fujian province) seems to pronounce "knee" (膝盖) as qīgài instead of xīgài.

Is qīgài a correct alternative pronunciation, or is her own dialect incorrectly corrupting her Mandarin pronunciation? If the latter, what other pronunciation errors is she likely to make?

**Tags:** pronunciation


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2012-10-25. Score: 4

It is a non-standard pronunciation, but it is reasonably common. It is not in any way associated with the Fuzhou dialect specifically — even some northerners say qigai. Here's an interesting [blog post and discussion](http://sinoglot.com/blog/2011/10/knee/) about the free variation of the pronunciations of knee.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: My understanding (without any proof) is that xi1 is prescriptive pronunciation made by some committee, as every one person I know pronounces it as qi1 before "corrected" by a school teacher. My and my friends' parents came from all over China, they all say qi1 gai4.  
> **username_3**: I have heard of both. I pronounce it like xi1gai4.  
> **username_4**: Another thing I've learnt form this site! Everyone I know pronounces it as qigai.  
> **username_5**: Most native speakers pronounce it as `qigai`. But in an exam like college entrance exam, usually there is a question for phonetic symbols. And `qigai` is considered incorrect here. Also in any serious programme in TV or radio, professional broadcasters pronounce it as `xigai`.  
> **username_6**: @username_5 …So I'm a guy who isn't belong to the _most_囧. I believe with the development of elementary education, `xīgài` will be more and more popular.  
> **username_7**: if someone pronounce `纤xiān 维wéi` (fiber) as `千qiān 维wéi`, then we call him/her `秀才不识字，读半边` (XiuCai can't read, so he read half of the word)  

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### Answer by username_8 on 2012-11-05. Score: 2

Xi1 Gai4 is the standard pronunciation in Mandarin; If you are taking an exam, Xi1 Gai4 is the only correct answer.

But in daily life, Qi1 Gai4 is so widely used that most Chinese don't distinguish them.

> **Comments:**
> **username_7**: i don't think `Qi1 Gai4` is widely used.  

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### Answer by username_9 on 2012-11-05. Score: 2

:-) don't waste time on this. Xi1 Gai4 is correct and will be more and more popular.

FYI
<http://www.zdic.net/zd/zi/ZdicE8Zdic86Zdic9D.htm>

If you are preparing an exam, keep Xi1 in mind, or feel free to pronounce it. In China, there's numerous dialects. If you live in a small village of Fujian, you may even not understand what the neighboring village's people saying because of the mountains. This is the reason why people need Mandarin living in this big country with so many mountains, especially in South China.


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