Mandarin phonetic symbols

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Mandarin Phonetic Symbols are a standardized system used to represent the sounds of Mandarin Chinese in written form. This system uses a combination of letters and diacritical marks to indicate the tones and pronunciation of each character. The most widely used version is called Hanyu Pinyin, which was introduced by China's Ministry of Education in 1958. It consists of 43 basic symbols that represent the sounds of Mandarin Chinese, including the four tones and the neutral tone. The symbols are organized into a syllabary, with each symbol representing a distinct sound or combination of sounds. The system is designed to be phonetic, meaning that it directly represents the sounds of Mandarin Chinese, rather than the characters themselves. One of the key features of Hanyu Pinyin is its use of diacritical marks to indicate tone and stress. The four tones are represented by different combinations of diacritical marks, with a dot above or below the symbol indicating the high tone, a stroke above or below the symbol indicating the rising tone, and a grave accent on the symbol indicating the falling tone. Mandarin Phonetic Symbols have become widely used in China and around the world as a tool for learning and communicating Mandarin Chinese. They are often used in language textbooks, dictionaries, and other educational materials, and are also used by many non-native speakers to learn the pronunciation of Mandarin Chinese. Overall, Hanyu Pinyin has revolutionized the way people communicate in Mandarin Chinese, making it easier to learn and use this complex language.