How do you prounce qin shi Huang's name?

Answer 1

始皇帝 [shǐ huáng dì]It's the address for the Chinese first emperor. Usually the dynasty's title is put before his address, called Qin Shihuang (秦始皇).

That full name is made of four syllables.

The first, "Qín", is spoken like "cheen" but with a rising inflection, so think of "Cheen?"

The second, "Shǐ", doesn't have an exact equivalent in English. Imagine saying "Huh" but with a "sh" sound at the start, and your tongue touching your upper palate just behind your teeth. Once you've mastered this lingual juggling act, pronounce it with a tone that drops, then rises again.

The third, "Huáng", is easier: it's "hwang" with a rising tone (as with "Qin"). If you want to do a perfect job, and give it a Beijing accent, pronounce the 'h' like the Scottish "ch", as in "loch". So, "ch-wang?" would be about right.

Finally, "Dì" is the easiest of the lot, although it's optional: it means "Emperor", but by the time you've pronounced "Qin Shi Huang" correctly, your listener will know who you're talking about! It's pronounced "dee", with an emphatic descending tone: "Dee!"

Putting it all together, with some indications of tone direction:

"Cheen / Shuh \/ Hwang / Dee \", or, in Pinyin, "Qín Shǐ Huáng Dì".

Answer 2

chin-shee-hwang-di

Answer 3

Chinn shi hawng di