In phonetics and phonology, a syllable onset is the part of a syllable that precedes the syllable nucleus. In the study of Chinese languages, onsets are better known as initials or in Chinese, shengmu (PY: shēngmǔ, TC: 聲母, SC: 声母). Phonetics (from the Greek word φωνή, phone = sound/voice) is the study of sounds (voice). ... Phonology (Greek phone = voice/sound and logos = word/speech), is a subfield of linguistics closely associated with phonetics. ... This article discusses the unit of speech. ... In phonetics and phonology, the nucleus is the central part of the syllable, mostly commonly a vowel. ... Chinese (written) language (pinyin: zhōngw n) written in Chinese characters The Chinese language (汉语/漢語, 华语/華語, or 中文; Pinyin: H nyǔ, Hu yǔ, or Zhōngw n) is a member of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. ... Pinyin (拼音, pÄ«nyÄ«n) literally means join (together) sounds (a less literal translation being phoneticize, spell or transcription) in Chinese and usually refers to HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n (汉语拼音, literal meaning: Han language pinyin), which is a system of romanization (phonemic notation and transcription to Roman script) for Standard Mandarin. ... Jump to: navigation, search Traditional Chinese characters are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... Simplified Chinese characters (Simplified Chinese: 简体字; Traditional Chinese: 簡體字; pinyin: jiÇŽntǐzì; also called 简化字/簡化字, jiÇŽnhuàzì) are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ...

Syllable structure

The segmental structure of a syllable begins with an optional onset, followed by a compulsory rime or final (yunmu). This article discusses the unit of speech. ... In the study of phonology in linguistics, the rime or rhyme of a syllable consists of a nucleus and an optional coda. ...

syllable: C₁(C₂)V₁(V₂)(C₃)(C₄) = onset: C₁(C₂) + rime: V₁(V₂)(C₃)(C₄)

syllable: V₁(V₂)(C₃)(C₄) = onset: Ø (null) + rime: V₁(V₂)(C₃)(C₄)

(C = consonant, V = vowel, optional components are in parentheses.)

Depending on the phonotactics of a language, the onset can consist of a single consonant or a consonant cluster. If a syllable begins with a vowel or another syllabic sonorant, then the syllable is said to have no onset, or a null onset. In Chinese language studies, the terms null initial and zero initial are used as well. Phonotactics (in Greek phone = voice and tactic = course) is a branch of phonology that deals with restrictions in a language on the permissible combinations of phonemes. ... Listen to this article · (info) This audio file was created from the revision dated 2005-07-20, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ... In linguistics, a consonant cluster is a group of consonants which have no intervening vowel. ... Listen to this article · (info) This audio file was created from the revision dated 2005-07-18, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ... In phonetics and phonology, a sonorant is a member of a class of speech sounds that are continuants produced without turbulent airflow in the vocal tract. ...

Chinese language studies

The onset or initial was first called shēngniǔ (TC: 聲紐, SC: 声纽), or simply shēng or niǔ, in traditional phonological studies since the Jìn Dynasty. For each group of characters pronounced with the same initial consonant, one was picked to name the initial. One character was also picked from the group without an initial consonant, which was the beginning of the concept of the null initial. The Jin Dynasty (晉 pinyin jìn, 265-420) followed the Three Kingdoms and preceded the Southern and Northern Dynasties in China. ...