<p>When <code>ü</code> is used in zero initial syllables, use <code>yu</code> instead:</p>

<ul>
<li>ü → yu (鱼)</li>
<li>üe → yue (月)</li>
<li>üan → yuan (元)</li>
<li>ün → yun (云)</li>
</ul>

<p>You should read these <code>yu</code> as <code>ü</code>.</p>

<hr>

<p>When <code>ü</code> is used with <code>j</code>, <code>q</code>, <code>x</code>, use <code>u</code> instead:</p>

<ul>
<li>ü → ju (巨), qu (去), xu (许)</li>
<li>üe → jue (绝), que (却), xue (学)</li>
<li>üan → juan (卷), quan (全), xuan (选)</li>
<li>ün → jun (军), qun (群), xun (寻)</li>
</ul>

<p>You should read these <code>u</code> as <code>ü</code>.</p>

<hr>

<p>In all other cases, use <code>ü</code> as is:</p>

<ul>
<li>nü (女), lü (绿), nüe (疟), lüe (略)</li>
</ul>

<hr>

<p>In your example, <code>u</code> in <code>huan</code>, <code>luan</code> are different from <code>u</code> in <code>quan</code>, <code>juan</code>. First ones read as <code>u</code>, the second ones read as <code>ü</code> actually. And <code>yuan</code> reads as <code>üan</code>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-26T13:16:09.090Z
2020-02-26T13:16:09.090Z
tsh
<p>There are several cases in Mandarin of multiple sounds sharing the same symbols in Pinyin, such as -uan as you've noticed, as well as -i which has multiple sounds associated with it. In the case of -uan, this final behaves differently when prefaced with the initials y-, j-, q-, and x-. As a general rule, -u, -ue, -uan, and -un behave differently when prefaced with those 4 initials and you'll see them separated  out on any pinyin chart: </p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/RaCfn.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/RaCfn.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>The u in these cases is actually a ü which does not exist in English and is something I struggle with myself so I'll just redirect you <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/pronunciation/The_%22%C3%BC%22_vowel" rel="noreferrer">here</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-19T23:46:32.790Z
2020-02-20T04:40:10.617Z
2020-02-20T04:40:10.617Z
小奥利奥
<p>It seems to me that in Mandarin, two different vowel sounds are used for words whose pinyin ends with -uan.</p>

<p>In some words, like 全 (quán) and 元 (yuán), the vowel sounds like "oo-en" (the nucleus/coda are "ɛn" in IPA, rhymes with English "hen").</p>

<p>In other words, like 換/换 (huàn) and 亂/乱 (luàn), the vowel sounds like "oo-an" (the nucleus/coda are "an" in IPA, rhymes with Mandarin "安").</p>

<p>Does this difference really exist, or an I imagining it? If there is a distinction, what's the rule for which pronunciation to use? It seems related to the tone and the initial consonant, but I'm not sure there is a definite pattern.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-19T21:56:22.583Z
It's also possible that this is an accent difference and I've just internalized different speakers' pronunciations of these words (c.f. https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/17266/mandarin-pronunciation-for-hen-and-yuan).
Kerrick Staley
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-23T09:41:54.270Z
It's better to look at *u* as part of *yu-* which is the same as *ü-*. Pīnyīn is actually very consistent when you [learn its handful of abbreviations and orthography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin#Orthographic_rules).
gnucchi
<mandarin><pronunciation><pinyin>
-uan pinyin pronunciation
# -uan pinyin pronunciation

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-02-19)

It seems to me that in Mandarin, two different vowel sounds are used for words whose pinyin ends with -uan.

In some words, like 全 (quán) and 元 (yuán), the vowel sounds like "oo-en" (the nucleus/coda are "ɛn" in IPA, rhymes with English "hen").

In other words, like 換/换 (huàn) and 亂/乱 (luàn), the vowel sounds like "oo-an" (the nucleus/coda are "an" in IPA, rhymes with Mandarin "安").

Does this difference really exist, or an I imagining it? If there is a distinction, what's the rule for which pronunciation to use? It seems related to the tone and the initial consonant, but I'm not sure there is a definite pattern.

**Tags:** mandarin, pronunciation, pinyin

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: It's also possible that this is an accent difference and I've just internalized different speakers' pronunciations of these words (c.f. https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/17266/mandarin-pronunciation-for-hen-and-yuan).  
> **username_1**: It's better to look at *u* as part of *yu-* which is the same as *ü-*. Pīnyīn is actually very consistent when you [learn its handful of abbreviations and orthography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin#Orthographic_rules).  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2020-02-19. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

There are several cases in Mandarin of multiple sounds sharing the same symbols in Pinyin, such as -uan as you've noticed, as well as -i which has multiple sounds associated with it. In the case of -uan, this final behaves differently when prefaced with the initials y-, j-, q-, and x-. As a general rule, -u, -ue, -uan, and -un behave differently when prefaced with those 4 initials and you'll see them separated out on any pinyin chart:

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/RaCfn.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/RaCfn.png)

The u in these cases is actually a ü which does not exist in English and is something I struggle with myself so I'll just redirect you [here](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/pronunciation/The_%22%C3%BC%22_vowel).


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### Answer by username_2 on 2020-02-26. Score: 2

When `ü` is used in zero initial syllables, use `yu` instead:

* ü → yu (鱼)
* üe → yue (月)
* üan → yuan (元)
* ün → yun (云)

You should read these `yu` as `ü`.

---

When `ü` is used with `j`, `q`, `x`, use `u` instead:

* ü → ju (巨), qu (去), xu (许)
* üe → jue (绝), que (却), xue (学)
* üan → juan (卷), quan (全), xuan (选)
* ün → jun (军), qun (群), xun (寻)

You should read these `u` as `ü`.

---

In all other cases, use `ü` as is:

* nü (女), lü (绿), nüe (疟), lüe (略)

---

In your example, `u` in `huan`, `luan` are different from `u` in `quan`, `juan`. First ones read as `u`, the second ones read as `ü` actually. And `yuan` reads as `üan`.


---

