Pinyin initial: "ti"

Mouth Mechanics (step-by-step)

1. Start position: Keep your lips relaxed (not rounded). Jaw slightly open, like you’re about to say “tee.”
2. Tongue placement for the “t”: Put the tip of your tongue lightly against the bumpy ridge right behind your top front teeth (the same place you make an English “t/d”).
3. Seal + build pressure: Briefly block the air with your tongue tip touching that ridge.
4. Release with aspiration (the key): Pop the tongue away and let out a small, noticeable puff of air right after the release.
5. Immediately go into the vowel: Move straight into the vowel of -i (like “ee”), keeping the tongue high and forward.
6. Keep it “clean”: Do not add an extra vowel before or after the sound (avoid “tuh-ee” or “tee-uh”).

English Approximation (how to get close)

English does not have exactly the same timing and “clean” release as Mandarin t-, but you can get very close:

• “top” — use the very beginning “t”, but exaggerate the puff of air after you release it.
• “tea” — the t is close, but many English speakers make it too “soft” or too “smooth.” Make the release crisper and airier.
• “attain” — the t in careful speech can resemble the same tongue placement; again, add a clear puff of air right after the release.

How to modify your English “t” to match Mandarin t-:
Say “tea,” then repeat it while holding a tissue 2–3 inches in front of your mouth. For Mandarin t-, the tissue should flutter noticeably when you release the t.

Common Mistakes (English speakers)

• Not enough puff of air: Mandarin t- needs a stronger burst of air than many English “t” sounds in casual speech.
• Turning it into “d-”: If you make it too weak (little or no air burst), it starts to sound closer to Mandarin d-.
• Adding an extra vowel: Avoid “tuh-ee” for ti. It should be one smooth syllable.
• Over-English “t” effects: In some English accents, “t” can become a flap (like the quick sound in “water”). Do not use that; keep a true, crisp t.

Practice Pairs (visualizing the sound)

Note: These English cues are approximations to guide your mouth; aim for the Mandarin timing: t + (i / ie / iao / ian / ing) as one clean syllable.

Comparisons & Caveats (important distinctions)

• t- vs d- (Mandarin):
  The biggest difference is air. t- has a clear puff after release; d- has little to no puff. If your t- sounds “too gentle,” it may be perceived as d-.

• t- vs English “t”:
  In English, the “t” can be weakened (especially between vowels), or shaped by surrounding sounds. Mandarin t- should stay consistently crisp and aspirated, even in fast speech.

• t- + i is not “tee” with extra consonants:
  In Mandarin spelling, ti is written with i, but the syllable should still feel like one beat: crisp aspirated t directly into a high front vowel. Avoid inserting a little “uh” (no “tuh-ee”).

• Watch the “i-” glide in related syllables (tie, tiao, tian):
  In tie / tiao / tian, the sound after t- begins with a quick “y”-like glide (because the syllable starts with an i- glide into the next vowel). Keep that glide light and fast, not a heavy separate “y” syllable.

• t- vs q- (Mandarin):
  English speakers sometimes confuse them because both can feel “sharp.” Mandarin q- is made with the tongue more forward and flatter against the roof area behind the ridge, giving a “ch”-like quality, while t- is a clean tip-of-tongue t at the ridge behind the teeth with aspiration.

• t- vs ch- (Mandarin):
  ch- has a noticeable “sh/ch” friction and a different tongue shape; t- is a straight stop (block → release) with a puff of air, but no sustained friction.