m,n,l,h,f are pronounced similarly to their counterparts in the English language.
b like “p” in “speak” (unaspirated, voiceless)
p like “p” in “park” (aspirated, voiceless)
d like “t” in “stay” (unaspirated)
t like “t in “tag” (aspirated)
g a soft unaspirated “k’ sound
k like ‘k” in “kangaroo: (aspirated)
zh like “j” in “jerk”, but with the tip of the tongue curled father back, unaspirated.
ch like ‘ch”in”church”, but with the tip of the tongue curled farther back, aspirated.
sh like “sh”in “ship”, but with the tip of the tongue curled father back.
r as in “right” in English, but with lips unrounded, and the tip of the tongue curled farther back. Always pronounce the Chinese /r/ sound with a nice smile.
j is an unaspirated voiceless sound. First raise the front of the tongue to the hard palate and press the tip of the tongue against the back of the lower teeth, and then loosen the tongue and let the air squeeze out through the channel thus made. The sound is unaspirated and the vocal cords do not vibrate.
q is an aspirated voiceless sound. It’s produced in the same manner as “j”m but it is aspirated.
x is a voiceless sound. To produce it, first raise the front of the tongue toward (but not touching) the hard palate and then let the air squeeze out. The vocal cords do not vibrate.
z like “ds” in ‘beds”
c like “ts” in “cats”, with aspiration
s pronounced as in English, “s” in “see”