3. The Initial j

Cantonese SoundIPASimilar English Sound
Initial j[j]y as in yes

Step 1  Listen to the initial j.

j

Step 2  Listen and repeat.

j

Hard palate: The part of your upper jaw just behind your alveolar ridge

💡 Tips

The initial j is not pronounced like the English j sound (as in the word job). Don’t be confused by the letter j.

Listen.

It is [j], but not [dʒ].

Practice  Practice saying the initial j with different finals. Listen and repeat.

  1. j ‒ e ‒ je6
  2. j ‒ yu ‒ jyu6
  3. j ‒ am ‒ jam6
  4. j ‒ in ‒ jin6
  5. j ‒ oeng ‒ joeng6