Pinyin/Pronunciation

Vowels

 * "u" after "j, q, x, y" is pronounced as "ü" (the two dots is omitted in spelling)
 * "e" after "i, u, ü, y" is pronounced as "ê" (the hat "^" is omitted in spelling)
 * "e" before "i" is pronounced as "ê" (the hat "^" is omitted in spelling)
 * "o" before "ng" is pronounced as "u" ("u" is written as "o" in spelling)

Basic combinations of vowels and consonants

 * "ei" is pronounced as "êi" ("êi" is written as "ei" in spelling)
 * "ong" is pronounced as "ung" ("ung" is written as "ong" in spelling)

Pronunciation of vowels

 * The two dots of ü is omitted after "j, q, x, y".

Pronunciation of consonants

 * Nearly all consonants in Chinese are voiceless.

Pinyin syllable table

 * "u" after "j, q, x, y" is pronounced as "ü" (the two dots is omitted in spelling), but the two dots of "nü" and "lü" cannot be omitted.

Tones
There are four tone marks in Pinyin and they are essential to correct pronunciation, written above the main vowel of the syllables of words (See also the Chinese wikibook page on using tones).

Unstressed syllable also called neutral tone which is unmarked, for example yuèliang (moon).

Alternative methods are used when diacritics are not convenient.