View source for Bopomofo

{{Short description|Semisyllabary used to transcribe Chinese}}
{{redirect|Zhuyin|the mythological creature|Zhulong (mythology)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox writing system
| name        = Bopomofo
| type        = [[Semisyllabary]]
| typedesc    = with diacritics for tones
| fam1        = [[Oracle bone script]]
| fam2        = [[Seal script]]
| fam3        = [[Clerical script]]
| children    = {{comma separated entries|[[Cantonese bopomofo]]|[[Taiwanese Phonetic Symbols]]|[[Suzhou Phonetic Symbols]]|[[Hmu Phonetic Symbols]]|{{ill|Matsu Fuchounese bopomofo|zh|馬祖閩東（福州）語注音符號}}}} 
| unicode     = {{ubli|[https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U3100.pdf U+3100–U+312F] {{nwr|(Bopomofo)}}|[https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U31A0.pdf U+31A0–U+31BF] {{nwr|(Bopomofo Extended)}}}}
| iso15924    = Bopo
| sample      = Zhuyinbaike.svg
| imagesize   = 250px
| caption     = The word "encyclopedia" (bǎikē quánshū) written in bopomofo (b-ai-k-e q-yu-en-sh-u)
| creator     = * [[Commission on the Unification of Pronunciation]]
* Introduced by the [[Beiyang government]] of the Republic of China
| time        = * [[Mainland China]] (1918–1958)
* ''[[Xiandai Hanyu Cidian]]'' ({{nwr|1960–2016}}; as a supplement to [[Hanyu Pinyin]])
* [[Taiwan]] (1945–present)}}
{{Infobox Chinese
| title = Mandarin Phonetic Symbols
| t = {{linktext|注音符號}}
| s = {{linktext|注音符号}}
| bpmf = {{bpmfsp|ㄓㄨˋ|ㄧㄣ|ㄈㄨˊ|ㄏㄠˋ}}
| w = {{tone superscript|Chu4-yin1 fu2-hao4}}
| p = Zhùyīn fúhào
| tp = Jhù-yin fú-hào
| mps = Jùyīn fúhàu
| gr = Juh'in fwuhaw
| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|zh|u|4|.|yin|1|-|f|u|2|.|h|ao|4}}
| poj = Chù-im hû-hō
| tl = Tsù-im hû-hō
| j = Zyu3 jam1 fu4 hou2
| y = Jyuyām Fùhhóu
| ci = {{IPAc-yue|z|yu|3|-|j|am|1|-|f|u|4|-|h|ou|2}}
}}
{{RCL}}
{{Alphabet}}

'''Bopomofo''', also called '''Zhuyin Fuhao'''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Qiu Gui Su |date=January 27, 2019 |title=Bopomofo Chinese Phonetic System |url=https://www.thoughtco.com/bopomofo-zhuyin-fuhao-2279518 |access-date=24 July 2024 |website=ThoughtCo.}}</ref> ({{IPAc-en|dʒ|uː|ˌ|j|ɪ|n|_|f|uː|ˈ|h|aʊ}} {{respell|joo-YIN foo-HOW}}; {{zhi|t=注音符號|l=phonetic symbols|p=Zhùyīn fúhào}}), or simply '''Zhuyin''',<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 May 2023 |title=Zhuyin vs. Pinyin: Exploring the Unique Chinese Phonetic System of Bopomofo |url=https://www.chineasy.com/zhuyin-vs-pinyin-exploring-the-unique-chinese-phonetic-system-of-bopomofo/ |access-date=24 July 2024 |website=Chineasy}}</ref> is a [[Chinese transliteration|transliteration system]] for [[Standard Chinese]] and other [[Sinitic languages]]. It is the principal method of teaching Chinese Mandarin pronunciation in [[Taiwan]]. It consists of 37 characters and five [[tone (linguistics)|tone]] marks, which together can transcribe all possible sounds in [[Mandarin Chinese]].

Bopomofo was first introduced in China during the 1910s by the [[Beiyang government]], where it was used alongside [[Wade–Giles]], a romanization system which used a modified [[Latin alphabet]]. Today, Bopomofo is more common in Taiwan than on the mainland, and is used as the primary [[Chinese input method|electronic input method]] for [[Taiwanese Mandarin]], as well as in dictionaries and other non-official documents.

==Terminology==
''Bopomofo'' is the name used for the system by the [[International Organization for Standardization]] (ISO) and [[Unicode]]. Analogous to how the word ''[[alphabet]]'' is derived from the names of the first two letters [[alpha]] and [[beta]], the name ''bopomofo'' derives from the first four syllabographs in the system's conventional [[lexicographic order]]: {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄅ}}, {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄆ}}, {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄇ}}, and {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄈ}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bopomofo (ㄅㄆㄇㄈ) {{!}} All You Need to Know |url=https://bubbleteaisland.com/2022/04/27/bopomofo-the-unique-alphabet/ |access-date=24 July 2024 |website=Bubble Tea Island |date=27 April 2022 |quote=The term "Bopomofo" is derived from the first four characters of the system's alphabet [ㄅㄆㄇㄈ – B'P'M'F'].}}</ref>

In [[Taiwan]] the system is commonly known by its official name {{zhp|t=注音符號|p=Zhuyin fuhao|l=phonetic symbols}}, or simply as {{zhp|t=注音|p=zhuyin|l=phonetic notation}}. In official documents, it is occasionally called '''Mandarin Phonetic Symbols I''' ({{Zhi|t=國語注音符號第一式}}), abbreviated as {{zht|tr=MPS I|t=注音一式}},<ref name=GIO>{{cite web|publisher=Government Information Office, Taiwan |url=http://www.gio.gov.tw/taiwan-website/5-gp/yearbook/02PeopleandLanguage.htm |title=Taiwan Yearbook 2006: The People & Languages |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070509032222/http://www.gio.gov.tw/taiwan-website/5-gp/yearbook/02PeopleandLanguage.htm |archive-date=9 May 2007 }}</ref><ref name=headlines>{{cite web |publisher=Government Information Office, Taiwan |url=http://www.taiwanheadlines.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=85286&ctNode=10 |title=Taiwan Headlines: Society News: New Taiwanese dictionary unveiled |access-date=15 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071031020342/http://www.taiwanheadlines.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=85286&ctNode=10 |archive-date=31 October 2007 }}</ref> to distinguish it from the [[Mandarin Phonetic Symbols II]] (MPS II) system published in 1984. Formerly, the system was named {{zhp|t=國音字母|p=Guoyin zimu|l=national language alphabet}} and {{zhp|t=注音字母|p=Zhuyin zimu|l=phonetic alphabet}}.<ref name=GIO/>

== History ==
=== Origins ===
{{main|Commission on the Unification of Pronunciation#Phonetic symbols}}

The [[Commission on the Unification of Pronunciation]], led by [[Wu Zhihui]] from 1912 to 1913, created a system called ''Zhuyin Zimu'',<ref name=GIO /> which was based on [[Zhang Binglin]]'s shorthand. It was used as the official phonetic script to annotate the sounds of the characters in accordance with the [[Old National Pronunciation]].<ref name="Dong">{{cite book |last=Dong |first=Hongyuan |title=A History of the Chinese Language |publisher=Routledge |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-415-66039-6 |page=133}}</ref> A draft was released on 11 July 1913, by the Republic of China National Ministry of Education, but it was not officially proclaimed until 23 November 1928.<ref name=GIO /> It was first named {{Transliteration|zh|Guóyīn Zìmǔ}} 'national pronunciation alphabet', but in April 1930 was renamed {{Transliteration|zh|Zhùyīn Fúhào}} 'phonetic symbols' to address fears that the alphabetic system might independently replace [[Chinese characters]].<ref>[[John DeFrancis]]. ''[[The Chinese Language: Fact and Fantasy]]''. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1984. p. 242.</ref>

=== Modern use ===
[[File:CADAL11100176 注音漢字.djvu|page=24|thumb|right|A guide on how to typeset Bopomofo alongside characters. (1936, [[Li Jinxi]])]]
Bopomofo is the predominant phonetic system in teaching reading and writing in [[elementary school]] in Taiwan. In elementary school, particularly in the lower years, Chinese characters in textbooks are often annotated with Bopomofo as [[ruby character]]s as an aid to learning. Additionally, one children's newspaper in Taiwan, the ''[[Mandarin Daily News]]'', annotates all articles with Bopomofo ruby characters.

It is also the most popular way for Taiwanese to enter Chinese characters into computers and [[smartphone]]s and to look up characters in a dictionary.

In teaching Mandarin, Taiwan institutions and some overseas communities such as Filipino Chinese use Bopomofo.

Bopomofo is shown in a secondary position to [[Hanyu Pinyin]] in all editions of ''[[Xiandai Hanyu Cidian]]'' from the 1960 edition to the current 2016 edition (7th edition).

Bopomofo is also used to transcribe other Chinese languages, most commonly [[Taiwanese Hokkien]] and [[Cantonese]], however its use can be applied to practically any variety in handwriting (because not all letters are encoded). Outside of Chinese, Bopomofo letters are also used in [[Hmu language|Hmu]] and [[Gejia language|Ge]] languages by a small number of Hmu Christians.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode14.0.0/ch18.pdf|title=The Unicode Standard / the Unicode Consortium|publisher=[[Unicode]]|year=2021|isbn=978-1-936213-29-0|edition=14.0|location=Mountain View, CA|page=30|language=en}}</ref>

== Symbols ==
[[File:國音字母.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Table of Bopomofo, with romanization given in [[Gwoyeu Romatzyh]]]]
[[File:Bopomofo in Regular, Handwritten Regular & Cursive formats.jpg|thumb|Bopomofo in Regular, Handwritten Regular & Cursive formats]]
The Bopomofo characters were created by [[Zhang Binglin]], taken mainly from "[[Regular script|regularized]]" forms of ancient Chinese characters, the modern readings of which contain the sound that each letter represents. The consonants are listed in order of [[place of articulation]], from the front of the mouth to the back, /b/, /p/, /m/, /f/, /d/, /t/, /n/, /l/ etc.

<div style="text-align:center;">'''Origin of bopomofo symbols'''</div>
{{table alignment}}
{| class="wikitable defaultcenter col2left" style="display:inline-table;"
|+ Consonants
!Bopomofo!! style="width:500px;"|Origin<ref>{{cite book|language=zh-tw|title=國音學|edition=8th|year=2008|pages=27–30|location=Taiwan|publisher=國立臺灣師範大學. 國音敎材編輯委員會}}</ref>!![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]!![[Pinyin]]!![[Wade–Giles|WG]]!!width=100|Example
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄅ}}
|From {{wikt-lang|zh|勹}}, the ancient form and current top portion of {{wikt-lang|zh|包}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|bāo}}, "to wrap up; package"
|{{IPA link|p}}||b||p||{{lang|zh|包}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|bāo}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄅㄠ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄆ}}
|From {{wikt-lang|zh|攵}}, a variant form of {{wikt-lang|zh|攴}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|pū}}, "to knock lightly".
|{{IPA link|pʰ}}||p||pʻ||{{lang|zh|撲}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|pū}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄆㄨ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄇ}}
|From {{wikt-lang|zh|冂}}, the archaic character and current "cover" [[Radical (Chinese characters)|radical]] {{lang|zh|冖}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|mì}}.
|{{IPA link|m}}||m||m||{{lang|zh|冞}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|mí}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄇㄧˊ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄈ}}||From the "right open box" [[Radical (Chinese characters)|radical]] {{wikt-lang|zh|匚}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|fāng}}.
|{{IPA link|f}}||f||f||{{lang|zh|匪}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|fěi}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄈㄟˇ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄪ}}||From {{wikt-lang|zh|万}}, a simplification of {{wikt-lang|zh|萬}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|wàn}}, "ten thousand". Not used in Mandarin anymore.
|{{IPA link|v}}||v||v||{{lang|zh|尾}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|wěi}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄨㄟˇ}}}}<br/>({{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|万ㄟˇ}}}})
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄉ}}
|From {{wikt-lang|zh|𠚣}}, archaic form of {{wikt-lang|zh|刀}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|dāo}}, "blade". Compare the ''Shuowen'' seal [[File:刀-seal.svg|22px]].
|{{IPA link|t}}||d||t||{{lang|zh|地}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|dì}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄉㄧˋ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄊ}}
|From {{wikt-lang|zh|𠫓}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|tū}}, an upside-down form of {{wikt-lang|zh|子}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|zǐ}} and an ancient form of {{wikt-lang|zh|突}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|tū}} ([[File:Shuowen Seal Radical 528.svg|22px]] and [[File:Shuowen Seal Radical 525.svg|22px]] in [[seal script]])<ref>[[Wenlin]] dictionary, entry {{lang|zh|𠫓}}.</ref><ref>[http://www.kangxizidian.com/kangxi/0164.gif KangXi: page 164, character 1] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201002234002/http://www.kangxizidian.com/kangxi/0164.gif |date=2 October 2020 }} kangxizidian.com</ref>
|{{IPA link|tʰ}}||t||tʻ||{{lang|zh|提}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|tí}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄊㄧˊ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄋ}}
|From [[File:乃-seal.svg|22px]]/{{wikt-lang|zh|𠄎}}, ancient form of {{wikt-lang|zh|乃}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|nǎi}}, "to be" (a copula in Classical Chinese).
|{{IPA link|n}}||n||n||{{lang|zh|你}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|nǐ}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄋㄧˇ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄌ}}
|From {{wikt-lang|zh|𠠲}}, archaic form of {{wikt-lang|zh|力}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|lì}}, "power".
|{{IPA link|l}}||l||l||{{lang|zh|利}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|lì}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄌㄧˋ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄍ}}
|From the obsolete character {{wikt-lang|zh|巜}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|guì}}/{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|kuài}}, "ditch".
|{{IPA link|k}}||g||k||{{lang|zh|告}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|gào}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄍㄠˋ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄎ}}
|From the archaic character, now "breath" or "sigh" component {{wikt-lang|zh|丂}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|kǎo}}.
|{{IPA link|kʰ}}||k||kʻ||{{lang|zh|考}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|kǎo}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄎㄠˇ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄫ}}||From {{wikt-lang|zh|兀}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|wù}}, "towering". Not used in Mandarin anymore.
|{{IPA link|ŋ}}||ng||ng||{{lang|zh|五}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|wǔ}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄨˇ}}}}<br/>({{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄫㄨˇ}}}})
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄏ}}
|From the archaic character and current radical {{wikt-lang|zh|厂}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|hǎn}}.
|{{IPA link|x}}||h||h||{{lang|zh|好}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|hǎo}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄏㄠˇ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄐ}}
|From the archaic character {{wikt-lang|zh|丩}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|jiū}}.
|{{IPA link|tɕ}}||j||ch||{{lang|zh|叫}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|jiào}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄐㄧㄠˋ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄑ}}
|From the archaic character {{wikt-lang|zh|𡿨}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|quǎn}}, graphic root of the character {{lang|zh-Hant|{{linktext|巛}}}} ''chuān'', "river" (modern {{lang|zh-Hani|{{linktext|川}}}}).
|{{IPA link|tɕʰ}}||q||chʻ||{{lang|zh|巧}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|qiǎo}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄑㄧㄠˇ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄬ}}||From the archaic character {{wikt-lang|zh|广}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|yǎn}}, "dotted cliff". Not used in Mandarin anymore.
|{{IPA link|ɲ}}||gn||gn||{{lang|zh|眼}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|yǎn}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄧㄢˇ}}}}<br/>({{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|广ㄧㄢˇ}}}})
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄒ}}
|From {{wikt-lang|zh|丅}}, an ancient form of {{wikt-lang|zh|下}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|xià}}, "under".
|{{IPA link|ɕ}}||x||hs||{{lang|zh|小}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|xiǎo}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄒㄧㄠˇ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄓ}}
|From [[File:之-seal.svg|22px]]/{{wikt-lang|zh|𡳿}}, archaic form of {{wikt-lang|zh|之}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|zhī}}, a genitive marker in Classical Chinese.
|{{IPA link|ʈʂ}}||zhi, zh-||ch||{{lang|zh|知}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|zhī}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄓ}}}};<br/>{{lang|zh|主}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|zhǔ}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄓㄨˇ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄔ}}
|From the character and radical {{wikt-lang|zh|彳}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|chì}}
|{{IPA link|ʈʂʰ}}||chi, ch-||chʻ||{{lang|zh|吃}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|chī}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄔ}}}};<br/>{{lang|zh|出}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|chū}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄔㄨ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄕ}}
|From {{wikt-lang|zh|𡰣}}, an ancient form of {{wikt-lang|zh|尸}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|shī}}
|{{IPA link|ʂ}}||shi, sh-||sh||{{lang|zh|是}} shì<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄕˋ}}}};<br/>{{lang|zh|束}} shù<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄕㄨˋ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄖ}}
|Modified from the seal script [[File:日-seal.svg|22px]] form of {{wikt-lang|zh|日}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|rì}}, "day" or "sun".
|{{IPA link|ɻ}}[[Allophone|~]]{{IPA link|ʐ}}||ri, r-||j||{{lang|zh|日}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|rì}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄖˋ}}}};<br/>{{lang|zh|入}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|rù}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄖㄨˋ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄗ}}
|From the archaic character and current radical {{wikt-lang|zh|卩}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|jié}}, dialectically {{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|zié}} ({{IPA|[tsjě]}}; {{Zh-no-labels|w=tsieh²}} in Wade–Giles)
|{{IPA link|ts}}||zi, z-||ts||{{lang|zh|字}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|zì}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄗˋ}}}};<br/>{{lang|zh|在}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|zài}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄗㄞˋ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄘ}}
|From {{wikt-lang|zh|𠀁}}, archaic form of {{wikt-lang|zh|七}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|qī}}, dialectically {{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|ciī}} ({{IPA|[tsʰí]}}; {{Zh-no-labels|w=tsʻi¹}} in Wade–Giles). Compare semi-cursive form [[File:Qi1 seven semicursive.png]] and seal-script [[File:七-seal.svg|22px]].
|{{IPA link|tsʰ}}||ci, c-||tsʻ||{{lang|zh|詞}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|cí}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄘˊ}}}};<br/>{{lang|zh|才}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|cái}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄘㄞˊ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄙ}}
|From the archaic character {{wikt-lang|zh|厶}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|sī}}, which was later replaced by its compound {{wikt-lang|zh|私}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|sī}}.
|{{IPA link|s}}||si, s-||s||{{lang|zh|四}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|sì}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄙˋ}}}};<br/>{{lang|zh|塞}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|sāi}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄙㄞ}}}}
|-
|}
{{table alignment}}
{| class="wikitable defaultcenter col2left" style="display:inline-table;"
|+ Rhymes and medials
!Bopomofo!! style="width:500px;"|Origin!![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]!![[Pinyin]]!![[Wade–Giles|WG]]!!Example
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄚ}}
|From {{wikt-lang|zh|丫}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|yā}}
|{{IPA link|a}}||a||a||{{lang|zh|大}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|dà}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄉㄚˋ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄛ}}
|From the obsolete character {{wikt-lang|zh|𠀀}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|hē}}, inhalation, the reverse of {{wikt-lang|zh|丂}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|kǎo}}, which is preserved as a phonetic in the compound {{wikt-lang|zh|可}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|kě}}.<ref name=u20000>{{cite web |url=https://www.unicode.org/cgi-bin/GetUnihanData.pl?codepoint=20000 |title=Unihan data for U+20000 |access-date=23 March 2018 |archive-date=6 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906111501/http://www.unicode.org/cgi-bin/GetUnihanData.pl?codepoint=20000 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{IPA link|o}}||o||o||{{lang|zh|多}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|duō}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄉㄨㄛ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo-TW|ㄜ}}
|Derived from its [[allophone]] in Standard Chinese, {{wikt-lang|zh|ㄛ}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|o}}
|{{IPA link|ɤ}}||e||o/ê||{{lang|zh|得}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|dé}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄉㄜˊ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄝ}}
|From {{wikt-lang|zh|也}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|yě}}, "also". Compare the Warring States bamboo form [[File:Ye3 also chu3jian3 warring state of chu3 small.png]]
|{{IPA link|e}}||-ie/ê||eh||{{lang|zh|爹}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|diē}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄉㄧㄝ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄞ}}
|From {{wikt-lang|zh|𠀅}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|hài}}, archaic form of {{wikt-lang|zh|亥}}.
|{{IPA|ai}}||ai||ai||{{lang|zh|晒}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|shài}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄕㄞˋ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄟ}}
|From {{wikt-lang|zh|乁}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|yí}}, an obsolete character meaning {{lang|zh|{{linktext|移}}}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|yí}}, "to move".
|{{IPA|ei}}||ei||ei||{{lang|zh|誰}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|shéi}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄕㄟˊ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄠ}}
|From {{wikt-lang|zh|幺}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|yāo}}
|{{IPA|au}}||ao||ao||{{lang|zh|少}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|shǎo}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄕㄠˇ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄡ}}
|From {{wikt-lang|zh|又}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|yòu}}
|{{IPA|ou}}||ou||ou||{{lang|zh|收}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|shōu}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄕㄡ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄢ}}
|From the archaic character {{wikt-lang|zh|𢎘}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|hàn}} "to bloom", preserved as a phonetic in the compound {{lang|zh|犯}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|fàn}}
|{{IPA|an}}||an||an||{{lang|zh|山}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|shān}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄕㄢ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄣ}}
|From {{wikt-lang|zh|𠃉}}, archaic variant of {{wikt-lang|zh|鳦}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|yǐ}} or {{wikt-lang|zh|乚}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|yà}}<ref>[[Wenlin]] dictionary, entry {{lang|zh|𠃉}}.</ref> ({{lang|zh|乚}} is &nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|yǐn}} according to other sources<ref name=u4E5A>{{cite web |url=https://www.unicode.org/cgi-bin/GetUnihanData.pl?codepoint=4E5A |title=Unihan data for U+4E5A |access-date=23 March 2018 |archive-date=17 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817112547/http://www.unicode.org/cgi-bin/GetUnihanData.pl?codepoint=4E5A |url-status=live }}</ref>)
|{{IPA|ən}}||en||ên||{{lang|zh|申}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|shēn}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄕㄣ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄤ}}
|From {{wikt-lang|zh|尢}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|wāng}}
|{{IPA|aŋ}}||ang||ang||{{lang|zh|上}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|shàng}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄕㄤˋ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄥ}}
|From {{wikt-lang|zh|𠃋}}, archaic form of {{wikt-lang|zh|肱}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|gōng}}<ref>[[Wenlin]] dictionary, entry {{lang|zh|𠃋}}.</ref>
|{{IPA|əŋ}}||eng||êng||{{lang|zh|生}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|shēng}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄕㄥ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄦ}}
|From {{wikt-lang|zh|儿}}, the bottom portion of {{lang|zh-Hant|{{linktext|兒}}}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|ér}} used as a cursive and [[Simplified Chinese characters|simplified]] form
|{{IPA|aɚ}}||er||êrh||{{lang|zh|而}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|ér}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄦˊ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄧ}}<br/>[[Image:bpmf-i.svg|16px]]
|From {{wikt-lang|zh|一}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|yī}}, "one"
|{{IPA link|i}}||y, yi, -i||i||{{lang|zh|以}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|yǐ}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄧˇ}}}};<br/>{{lang|zh|逆}} nì<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄋㄧˋ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄨ}}
|From {{wikt-lang|zh|㐅}}, ancient form of {{lang|zh|{{linktext|五}}}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|wǔ}}, "five". Compare the transitory form {{lang|zh|𠄡}}.
|{{IPA link|u}}||w, wu, -u||u/w||{{lang|zh|努}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|nǔ}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄋㄨˇ}}}};<br/>{{lang|zh|我}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|wǒ}}<br/>ㄨㄛˇ 
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄩ}}
|From the ancient character {{wikt-lang|zh|凵}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|qū}}, which remains as a radical
|{{IPA link|y}}||yu, -ü ||ü/yü||{{lang|zh|雨}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|yǔ}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄩˇ}}}};<br/>{{lang|zh|女}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|nǚ}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄋㄩˇ}}}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄭ}}<br/>[[File:MoeKai Bopomofo U+312D.svg|15px]]
|From the character {{wikt-lang|zh|帀}}. It represents the [[fricative vowel]] of {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄓ}}，{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄔ}}，{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄕ}}，{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄖ}}，{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄗ}}，{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄘ}}，{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄙ}}，though it is not used after them in transcription.<ref>[[Michael Everson]], H. W. Ho, [[Andrew West (linguist)|Andrew West]], "[http://std.dkuug.dk/jtc1/sc2/wg2/Docs/n3179.pdf Proposal to encode one Bopomofo character in the UCS] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126180543/http://std.dkuug.dk/jtc1/sc2/wg2/docs/n3179.pdf |date=2021-01-26 }}", SC2 WG2 N3179.</ref>
|{{IPA link|ɻ|ɻ̩}}~{{IPA link|ʐ|ʐ̩}}, {{IPA link|ɹ|ɹ̩}}~{{IPA link|z|z̩}}||-i||ih/ŭ||{{lang|zh|資}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|zī}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄗ}}}};<br/>{{lang|zh|知}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|zhī}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄓ}}}};<br/>{{lang|zh|死}}&nbsp;{{Transliteration|cmn|ISO|sǐ}}<br/>{{nowrap|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄙˇ}}}}
|}

== Writing ==

===Stroke order===
Bopomofo is written in the same [[stroke order]] rule as Chinese characters. {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄖ}} is written with three strokes, unlike the character from which it is derived ({{lang-zh|c=日|p=rì}}), which has four strokes.

{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄧ}} can be written as a vertical line ([[Image:bpmf-i2.svg|16px]]) or a horizontal line ([[Image:bpmf-i.svg|16px]]); both are accepted forms. Traditionally, it should be written as a horizontal line in vertical writing, and a vertical line in horizontal writing. The People's Republic of China almost exclusively uses horizontal writing, so the vertical form (in the rare occasion that Bopomofo is used) has become the standard form there. Language education in Taiwan generally uses vertical writing, so most people learn it as a horizontal line, and use a horizontal form even in horizontal writing. In 2008, the Taiwanese Ministry of Education decided that the primary form should always be the horizontal form, but that the vertical form is an accepted alternative.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2014/14189-bopomofo-letter-l-moe.pdf|title=Unicode document L2/14-189|access-date=19 May 2023|archive-date=8 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608024243/https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2014/14189-bopomofo-letter-l-moe.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Unicode 8.0.0 published an errata in 2014 that updates the representative glyph to be the horizontal form.<ref>Unicode Consortium, "[http://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode8.0.0/erratafixed.html Errata Fixed in Unicode 8.0.0] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101054445/http://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode8.0.0/erratafixed.html |date=2020-11-01 }}"</ref> Computer fonts may only display one form or the other, or may be able to display both if the font is aware of changes needed for vertical writing.
<gallery widths="80" heights="40">
File:ㄅ-bw.png
File:ㄆ-bw.png
File:ㄇ-bw.png
File:ㄈ-bw.png
File:ㄉ-bw.png
File:ㄊ-bw.png
File:ㄋ-bw.png
File:ㄌ-bw.png
File:ㄍ-bw.png
File:ㄎ-bw.png
File:ㄏ-bw.png
File:ㄐ-bw.png
File:ㄑ-bw.png
File:ㄒ-bw.png
File:ㄓ-bw.png
File:ㄔ-bw.png
File:ㄕ-bw.png
File:ㄖ-bw.png
File:ㄗ-bw.png
File:ㄘ-bw.png
File:ㄙ-bw.png
File:ㄚ-bw.png
File:ㄛ-bw.png
File:ㄜ-bw.png
File:ㄝ-bw.png
File:ㄞ-bw.png
File:ㄟ-bw.png
File:ㄠ-bw.png
File:ㄡ-bw.png
File:ㄢ-bw.png
File:ㄣ-bw.png
File:ㄤ-bw.png
File:ㄥ-bw.png
File:ㄦ-bw.png
File:ㄧ-bw.png
File:ㄨ-bw.png
File:ㄩ-bw.png
File:ㄭ-bw.png
</gallery>

Bopomofo is occasionally unofficially handwritten as syllable blocks, similar to [[Hangul]], however this is not considered an accepted form by the People's Republic of China nor the Republic of China, and is unsupported by Unicode.

=== Tonal marks ===

As shown in the following table, [[Mandarin phonology#Tones|tone]] marks for the second, third, and fourth tones are shared between bopomofo and [[Pinyin tones|pinyin]]. In bopomofo, the mark for first tone is usually omitted but can be included,<ref name="bopomofo2017">{{cite book|url=https://language.moe.gov.tw/001/Upload/files/site_content/M0001/juyin/html_ch/index.html#page02|script-title=zh:國語注音手冊|language=zh-tw|pages=2, 7|quote={{lang|zh-tw|韻符「ㄭ」，陰平調號「¯」，注音時省略不標{...}陰平 以一短橫代表高平之聲調，注音時可省略不標。標注在字音最後一個符號右上角。}}|editor=Department of Lifelong Education, Ministry of Education {{lang|zh-tw|教育部終身教育司}}|publisher=[[Ministry of Education (Taiwan)|Ministry of Education]]; Digital version: Wanderer Digital Publishing Inc. {{lang|zh-tw|汪達數位出版股份有限公司}}|date=January 2017|isbn=978-986-051-481-0}}</ref><ref name="bopomofo2017en">{{cite book|url=https://language.moe.gov.tw/001/Upload/files/SITE_CONTENT/M0001/deploy/html_en/index.html|title=The Manual of the Phonetic Symbols of Mandarin Chinese|editor=Department of Lifelong Education, Ministry of Education {{lang|zh-tw|教育部終身教育司}}|language=en,zh-tw|publisher=[[Ministry of Education (Taiwan)|Ministry of Education]]; Digital version: Wanderer Digital Publishing Inc. {{lang|zh-tw|汪達數位出版股份有限公司}}|pages=2, 7|date=January 2017|isbn=978-986-051-869-6|quote=the rhyme symbol, "ㄭ", and the mark of Yin-ping tone, "¯", could be left out on Bopomofo notes.{...}This high and level tone is noted as a short dash mark and could be left out in Bopomofo note. If it is noted, it should be put on the upper right corner of the last Bopomofo note.}}</ref> while a dot above indicates the fifth tone (also known as the [[neutral tone]]). In pinyin, a [[Macron (diacritic)|macron]] (overbar) indicates the first tone, and the lack of a marker usually indicates the fifth (light) tone.

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" style="vertical-align: bottom;" | [[Tone number|Tone]]
! colspan="2" | Bopomofo
! colspan="2" | [[Pinyin]]
|-
! Tone Marker
! [[Unicode]] Name
! Tone Marker
! Unicode Name
|-
! 1
| style="text-align: center; font-size: 200%;" | ˉ
| Modifier Letter Macron<br /><small>(usually omitted)<ref name="bopomofo2017"/><ref name="bopomofo2017en"/></small>
| style="text-align: center; font-size: 200%;" | {{IPA|◌̄}}
| Combining Macron
|-
! 2
| style="text-align: center; font-size: 200%;" | ˊ
| Modifier Letter Acute Accent
| style="text-align: center; font-size: 200%;" | {{IPA|◌́}}
| Combining Acute Accent
|-
! 3
| style="text-align: center; font-size: 200%;" | ˇ
| Caron
| style="text-align: center; font-size: 200%;" | {{IPA|◌̌}}
| Combining Caron
|-
! 4
| style="text-align: center; font-size: 200%;" | ˋ
| Modifier Letter Grave Accent
| style="text-align: center; font-size: 200%;" | {{IPA|◌̀}}
| Combining Grave Accent
|-
! 5
| style="text-align: center; font-size: 200%;" | ˙
| Dot Above<ref>{{cite web|url=https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10125/100965/1/Huang_Karen_r.pdf|title=A study of neutral-tone syllables in Taiwan Mandarin|page=3|access-date=19 November 2020|archive-date=27 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127151915/https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10125/100965/1/Huang_Karen_r.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
| style="text-align: center; font-size: 200%;" | {{IPA|·}}
| | Middle Dot<br /><small>(usually omitted)<ref>The middle dot may optionally precede light-tone syllables only in reference books ({{lang|zh-Hans|辞书}}), see [http://pinyin.info/rules/GBT16159-2012.html#sec73 section 7.3] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160217032538/http://pinyin.info/rules/GBT16159-2012.html#sec73 |date=17 February 2016 }} of the PRC national standard GB/T 16159-2012 ''Basic rules of the Chinese phonetic alphabet orthography''.</ref></small>
|}

Unlike Hanyu Pinyin, Bopomofo aligns well with the Chinese characters in books whose texts are [[Horizontal and vertical writing in East Asian scripts|printed vertically]], making Bopomofo better suited for annotating the pronunciation of vertically oriented Chinese text.

When used in conjunction with Chinese characters, Bopomofo is typically placed to the right of the Chinese character vertically in both [[Horizontal and vertical writing in East Asian scripts|vertical print]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bopomofo_Extended_Name.svg|title=Bopomofo Extended Name|date=12 December 2011|access-date=13 August 2022|archive-date=22 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422050232/https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bopomofo_Extended_Name.svg|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zhuyin_and_Hanzi_location-num.svg|title=Zhuyin and Hanzi location|date=22 December 2009|access-date=13 August 2022|archive-date=8 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408030047/https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zhuyin_and_Hanzi_location-num.svg|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Horizontal and vertical writing in East Asian scripts|horizontal print]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bopomofo_on_Taiwanese_street_-_with_English_-_Nov_2016_2.jpg|title=Bopomofo on Taiwanese street – with English – Nov 2016 2|date=3 August 2016|access-date=10 December 2020|archive-date=13 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210113035235/https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bopomofo_on_Taiwanese_street_-_with_English_-_Nov_2016_2.jpg|url-status=live}}</ref> or to the top of the Chinese character in a horizontal print (see [[Ruby character]]s).

=== Example ===

Below is an example for the word "bottle" ({{lang-zh|p=píngzi}}):

{|
|-
| style="padding:0 0 0.5em;"|

{|
|-
| style="line-height:1em; font-size:2em" | {{lang|zh-Hant|瓶}} || style="line-height:1em; font-size:0.8em" |{{lang|zh-Hant|ㄆ<br />ㄧ<br />ㄥˊ}}
|-
| style="line-height:1em; font-size:2em" | {{lang|zh-Hant|子}} || style="line-height:1em; font-size:0.8em" |{{lang|zh-Hant|˙<br />ㄗ}}
|}
| style="padding:0 1.5em" | , ||

{|
| style="line-height:1em; font-size:2em" | {{lang|zh-Hant|瓶}}|| style="line-height:1em; font-size:0.8em" |{{lang|zh-Hant|ㄆ<br />ㄧ<br />ㄥˊ}}
| style="line-height:1em; font-size:2em" | {{lang|zh-Hant|子}}|| style="line-height:1em; font-size:0.8em" |{{lang|zh-Hant|˙<br />ㄗ}}
|}
| style="padding:0 1.5em" | or ||

{|
|-
| style="line-height:1em; font-size:0.8em; text-align:center" | {{lang|zh-Hant|ㄆㄧㄥˊ}} || style="line-height:1em; font-size:0.8em; text-align:center" |{{lang|zh-Hant|˙ㄗ}}
|-
| style="line-height:1em; font-size:2em" | {{lang|zh-Hant|瓶}} || style="line-height:1em; font-size:2em" |{{lang|zh-Hant|子}}
|}
|}

===Erhua transcription===
Words rhotacized as a result of [[erhua]] are spelled with {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄦ}} attached to the syllable (like {{ruby-zh-b|歌兒|ㄍㄜㄦ}} {{Lang|zh-Latn-pinyin|gēr}}). In case the syllable uses other tones than the 1st tone, the tone mark is attached to the penultimate letter standing for syllable nucleus, but not to {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄦ}} (e.g. {{ruby-zh-b|哪兒|ㄋㄚˇㄦ}} [[Wikt:哪兒|{{Lang|zh-Latn-pinyin|nǎr|nocat=yes}}]]; {{ruby-zh-b|一|ㄧ}}{{ruby-zh-b|點兒|ㄉㄧㄢˇㄦ}} [[Wikt:一點兒|{{Lang|zh-Latn-pinyin|yīdiǎnr|nocat=yes}}]]; {{ruby-zh-b|好|ㄏㄠˇ}}{{ruby-zh-b|玩兒|ㄨㄢˊㄦ}} [[Wikt:好玩兒|{{Lang|zh-Latn-pinyin|hǎowánr|nocat=yes}}]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chinaknowledge.de/Literature/Script/zhuyin.html|title=The Zhuyin Alphabet 注音字母 Transcription System (Bo-po-mo-fo) (www.chinaknowledge.de)|website=www.chinaknowledge.de|access-date=3 October 2018|archive-date=4 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181004021210/http://www.chinaknowledge.de/Literature/Script/zhuyin.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Comparison ==

=== Pinyin ===
Bopomofo and [[pinyin]] are based on the same Mandarin pronunciations; hence there is a one-to-one correspondence between the two systems:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+ IPA and pinyin counterparts of Bopomofo finals
|-
! rowspan=2 colspan=2 |
! colspan=14 | Rhyme
|- lang="zh-Bopo"
! !! ㄚ !! ㄛ !! ㄜ !! ㄝ !! ㄞ !! ㄟ !! ㄠ !! ㄡ !! ㄢ !! ㄣ !! ㄤ !! ㄥ !! ㄦ
|-
! rowspan=4 | Medial
!
| {{IPA|[ɨ]}}<br />({{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄭ}}) <sup>1</sup><br /><br />-i
| {{IPA|[a]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄚ}}<br />a<br />-a
| {{IPA|[o]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄛ}} <sup>3</sup><br />o<br />-o <sup>3</sup>
| {{IPA|[ɤ]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄜ}}<br />e<br />-e
| {{IPA|[ɛ]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄝ}}<br />ê<br />&nbsp;
| {{IPA|[ai̯]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄞ}}<br />ai<br />-ai
| {{IPA|[ei̯]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄟ}}<br />ei<br />-ei
| {{IPA|[ɑu̯]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄠ}}<br />ao<br />-ao
| {{IPA|[ou̯]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄡ}}<br />ou<br />-ou
| {{IPA|[an]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄢ}}<br />an<br />-an
| {{IPA|[ən]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄣ}}<br />en<br />-en
| {{IPA|[ɑŋ]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄤ}}<br />ang<br />-ang
| {{IPA|[ɤŋ]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄥ}}<br />eng<br />-eng
| {{IPA|[aɚ]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄦ}}<br />er<br />&nbsp;
|-
! {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄧ}}
| {{IPA|[i]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄧ}}<br />yi<br />-i
| {{IPA|[i̯a]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄧㄚ}}<br />ya<br />-ia
| {{IPA|[i̯o]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄧㄛ}}<br />yo<br />&nbsp;
|
| {{IPA|[i̯ɛ]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄧㄝ}}<br />ye<br />-ie
| {{IPA|[i̯ai̯]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄧㄞ}}<br />yai<br />&nbsp;
|
| {{IPA|[i̯ɑu̯]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄧㄠ}}<br />yao<br />-iao
| {{IPA|[i̯ou̯]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄧㄡ}}<br />you<br />-iu
| {{IPA|[i̯ɛn]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄧㄢ}}<br />yan<br />-ian
| {{IPA|[in]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄧㄣ}}<br />yin<br />-in
| {{IPA|[i̯ɑŋ]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄧㄤ}}<br />yang<br />-iang
| {{IPA|[iŋ]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄧㄥ}}<br />ying<br />-ing
|
|-
! {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄨ}}
| {{IPA|[u]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄨ}}<br />wu<br />-u
| {{IPA|[u̯a]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄨㄚ}}<br />wa<br />-ua
| {{IPA|[u̯o]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄨㄛ}} <sup>3</sup><br />wo<br />-uo <sup>3</sup>
|
|
| {{IPA|[u̯ai̯]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄨㄞ}}<br />wai<br />-uai
| {{IPA|[u̯ei̯]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄨㄟ}}<br />wei<br />-ui
|
|
| {{IPA|[u̯an]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄨㄢ}}<br />wan<br />-uan
| {{IPA|[u̯ən]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄨㄣ}}<br />wen<br />-un
| {{IPA|[u̯ɑŋ]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄨㄤ}}<br />wang<br />-uang
| {{IPA|[u̯ɤŋ], [ʊŋ]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄨㄥ}}<br />weng<br />-ong <sup>4</sup>
|
|-
! {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄩ}}
| {{IPA|[y]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄩ}}<br />yu<br />-ü <sup>2</sup>
|
|
|
| {{IPA|[y̯ɛ]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄩㄝ}}<br />yue<br />-üe <sup>2</sup>
|
|
|
|
| {{IPA|[y̯ɛn]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄩㄢ}}<br />yuan<br />-üan <sup>2</sup>
| {{IPA|[yn]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄩㄣ}}<br />yun<br />-ün <sup>2</sup>
|
| {{IPA|[i̯ʊŋ]}}<br />{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄩㄥ}}<br />yong<br />-iong
|
|}

<sup>1</sup> Not written.

<sup>2</sup> {{Grapheme|-ü}} is written as {{Grapheme|-u}} after {{Grapheme|j-}}, {{Grapheme|q-}}, {{Grapheme|x-}}, or {{Grapheme|y-}}.

<sup>3</sup> {{Grapheme|{{Lang|zh-Bopo|ㄨㄛ}}}}/{{Grapheme|-uo}} is written as {{Grapheme|{{Lang|zh-Bopo|ㄛ}}}}/{{Grapheme|-o}} after {{Grapheme|{{Lang|zh-Bopo|ㄅ}}}}/{{Grapheme|b-}}, {{Grapheme|{{Lang|zh-Bopo|ㄆ}}}}/{{Grapheme|p-}}, {{Grapheme|{{Lang|zh-Bopo|ㄇ}}}}/{{Grapheme|m-}}, {{Grapheme|{{Lang|zh-Bopo|ㄈ}}}}/{{Grapheme|f-}}.

<sup>4</sup> {{Grapheme|weng}} is pronounced {{IPA|[ʊŋ]}} (written as {{Grapheme|-ong}}) when it follows an initial.

===Chart===
{{Pinyintable}}

==Use outside Standard Mandarin==
Bopomofo symbols for non-Mandarin [[varieties of Chinese|Chinese varieties]] are added to Unicode in the [[Bopomofo Extended]] block.

===Taiwanese Hokkien===
{{main|Taiwanese Phonetic Symbols}}
In Taiwan, Bopomofo is used to teach [[Taiwanese Hokkien]], and is also used to transcribe it phonetically in contexts such as on storefront signs, karaoke lyrics, and film subtitles.

Three letters no longer used for Mandarin are carried over from the 1913 standard:

{|class=wikitable
|-
!Bopomofo!![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]!![[Gwoyeu Romatzyh|GR]]!![[Pinyin]]
|- align=center
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄪ}}||{{IPA link|v}}||v||v
|- align=center
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄫ}}||{{IPA link|ŋ}}||ng||ng
|- align=center
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄬ}}||{{IPA link|ɲ}}||gn||gn
|}
23 more letters were added specifically for Taiwanese Hokkien:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Bopomofo
![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]
![[Tâi-uân Lô-má-jī Phing-im Hong-àn|TL]]
!Derivation
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆠ}}
|{{IPA link|b}}
|b
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄅ}} with voicing circle
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆣ}}
|{{IPA link|g}}
|g
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄍ}} with voicing circle
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆢ}}
|{{IPA link|d͡ʑ}}
|ji
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄐ}} with voicing circle
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆡ}}
|{{IPA link|d͡z}}
|j
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄗ}} with voicing circle
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆨ}}
|{{IPA|ɨ}}
|ir
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄨ}} and {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄧ}} combined (?)
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆦ}}
|{{IPA link|ɔ}}
|oo
|from {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄛ}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆤ}}
|{{IPA link|e}}
|e
|from {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄝ}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆩ}}
|{{IPA|[[Open front unrounded vowel|ã]]}}
|ann
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄚ}} with nasal curl
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆧ}}
|{{IPA|[[Open front unrounded vowel|ɔ̃]]}}
|onn
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆦ}} with nasal curl
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆥ}}
|{{IPA|[[Close-mid front unrounded vowel|ẽ]]}}
|enn
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆤ}} with nasal curl
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆪ}}/{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆳ}}
|{{IPA|[[Close front unrounded vowel|ĩ]]}}
|inn
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄧ}} with nasal curl
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆫ}}
|{{IPA|[[Close back rounded vowel|ũ]]}}
|unn
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄨ}} with nasal curl
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆮ}}
|{{IPA|ãĩ}}
|ainn
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄞ}} with nasal curl
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆯ}}
|{{IPA|ãũ}}
|aunn
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄠ}} with nasal curl
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆰ}}
|{{IPA|am}}
|am
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄚ}} and {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄇ}} combined
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆱ}}
|{{IPA|ɔm}}
|om
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆦ}} and {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄇ}} combined
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆲ}}
|{{IPA|ɔŋ}}
|ong
|
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆬ}}
|{{IPA|m̩}}
|m
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄇ}} with syllabic stroke
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆭ}}
|{{IPA|ŋ̍}}
|ng
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄫ}} with syllabic stroke
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆴ}}
| {{IPA link|-p̚}}
| -p
|small {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄅ}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆵ}}
| {{IPA link|-t̚}}
| -t
|small {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄉ}}
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆻ}}/{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆶ}}
| {{IPA link|-k̚}}
| -k
|small {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄍ}} (and variant small {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄎ}})
|-
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆷ}}
| {{IPA|-{{IPA link|ʔ}}}}
| -h
|small {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄏ}}
|}
Two tone marks were added for the additional tones: {{lang|zh-Bopo|˪}}, {{lang|zh-Bopo|˫}}

===Cantonese===
{{main|Cantonese Bopomofo}}
The following letters are used in [[Cantonese]].<ref name="cantonese-bopomofo">{{cite web |last1=Yang |first1=Ben |last2=Chan |first2=Eiso |title=Proposal to encode Cantonese Bopomofo Characters |url=http://www.unicode.org/L2/L2019/19177r-cantonese-bopomofo.pdf |ref=cantonese-bopomofo |access-date=25 September 2020 |archive-date=13 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210113042040/http://www.unicode.org/L2/L2019/19177r-cantonese-bopomofo.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

{|class=wikitable
|-
!Bopomofo!![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]!![[Jyutping]]
|- align=center
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆼ}}||{{IPA link|kʷ}}||gw
|- align=center
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆽ}}||{{IPA link|kʷʰ}}||kw
|- align=center
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆾ}}||{{IPA link|ɵ}}||eo
|- align=center
|{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㆿ}}||{{IPA link|ɐ}}||a
|}

If a syllable ends with a consonant other than {{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|-an}} or {{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|-aan}}, the consonant's letter is added, then followed by a final middle dot.

{{lang|zh-Bopo|-ㄞ}} is used for {{IPA|[aːi]}} ({{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|aai}}) (e.g. {{lang|zh-hk|敗}}, {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄅㄞ}} {{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|baai6}}, "to be defeated").

{{lang|zh-Bopo|-ㄣ}} is used for {{IPA|[ɐn]}} ({{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|an}}) (e.g. {{lang|zh-hk|跟}}, {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄍㄣ}} {{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|gan1}}, "to follow"), and {{lang|zh-Bopo|-ㄢ}} is used for {{IPA|[aːn]}} ({{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|aan}}) (e.g. {{lang|zh-hk|間}}, {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄍㄢ}} {{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|gaan1}}, "within"). Other vowels that end with {{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|-n}} use {{lang|zh-Bopo|-ㄋ}}· for the final {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄋ}}. (e.g. {{lang|zh-hk|見}}, {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄍㄧㄋ·}} {{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|gin3}}, "to see").

{{lang|zh-Bopo|-ㄡ}} is used for {{IPA|[ɐu]}} ({{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|au}}). (e.g. {{lang|zh-hk|牛}}, {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄫㄡ}}, {{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|ngau4}}, "cow") To transcribe {{IPA|[ou]}} ({{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|ou}}), it is written as {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄛㄨ}} (e.g. {{lang|zh-hk|路}}, {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄌㄛㄨ}} {{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|lou6}}, "path").

{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄫ}} is used for both initial {{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|ng-}} (as in {{lang|zh-hk|牛}}, {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄫㄡ}}, {{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|ngau4}}) and final {{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|-ng}} (as in {{lang|zh-hk|用}}, {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄧㄛㄫ·}}, {{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|jung<sup>6</sup>}} "to use").

{{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄐ}} is used for {{IPA|[t͡s]}} ({{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|z}}) (e.g. {{lang|zh-hk|煑}}, {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄐㄩ}} {{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|zyu2}}, "to cook") and {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄑ}} is used for {{IPA|[t͡sʰ]}} ({{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|c}}) (e.g. 全, {{lang|zh-Bopo|ㄑㄩㄋ·}} {{Transliteration|yue|Jyutping|cyun4}}, "whole").

During the time when Bopomofo was proposed for Cantonese, tones were not marked.

==Computer uses==

===Input method===
[[File:bopomofo.jpg|thumb|150px|right|An example of a Bopomofo keypad for Taiwan]]
[[File:Keyboard layout Zhuyin.svg|thumb|300px|none|A typical [[keyboard layout]] for Bopomofo on computers]]
Bopomofo can be used as an [[Chinese input methods for computers|input method for Chinese characters]]. It is one of the few input methods that can be found on most modern personal computers without having to download or install any additional software. It is also one of the few input methods that can be used for inputting Chinese characters on certain [[cell phone]]s.{{citation needed|date=April 2014}}. On the [[QWERTY]] keyboard, the symbols are ordered column-wise top-down (e.g. {{keypress|8|I|K|,}})

===Unicode===
{{Main|Bopomofo (Unicode block)|Bopomofo Extended|l2=Bopomofo Extended (Unicode block)}}
Bopomofo was added to the [[Unicode]] Standard in October 1991 with the release of version 1.0.

The Unicode block for Bopomofo is U+3100–U+312F:
{{Unicode chart Bopomofo}}

Additional characters were added in September 1999 with the release of version 3.0.

The Unicode block for these additional characters, called Bopomofo Extended, is U+31A0–U+31BF:

{{Unicode chart Bopomofo Extended}}

Unicode 3.0 also added the characters {{unichar|02EA|MODIFIER LETTER YIN DEPARTING TONE MARK}} and {{unichar|02EB|MODIFIER LETTER YANG DEPARTING TONE MARK}}, in the [[Spacing Modifier Letters]] block. These two characters are now (since Unicode 6.0) classified as Bopomofo characters.<ref>{{cite web|title=Scripts-6.0.0.txt|url=https://www.unicode.org/Public/6.0.0/ucd/Scripts.txt|publisher=Unicode Consortium|access-date=23 March 2018|archive-date=4 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704030629/https://unicode.org/Public/6.0.0/ucd/Scripts.txt|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable nounderlines" style="background:#fff; text-align:center;"
| colspan="4" style="background:#F8F8F8;font-size:small" | '''Tonal marks for bopomofo'''<br />[[Spacing Modifier Letters]]
|- style="background:#F8F8F8"
| '''Tone''' || '''Tone Marker''' || '''Unicode''' || '''Note'''
|-
| 1 Yin Ping (Level) || ˉ || U+02C9 || Usually omitted
|-
| 2 Yang Ping (Level) || ˊ || U+02CA ||
|-
| 3 Shang (Rising) || ˇ || U+02C7 ||
|-
| 4 Qu (Departing) || ˋ || U+02CB ||
|-
| 4a Yin Qu (Departing) || {{lang|zh-Bopo|˪}} || U+02EA || For [[Southern Min|Min]]nan and [[Hakka]] languages
|-
| 4b Yang Qu (Departing) || {{lang|zh-Bopo|˫}} || U+02EB || For [[Southern Min|Min]]nan and [[Hakka]] languages
|-
| 5 Qing (Neutral) || ˙ || U+02D9 ||
|}

==See also==
* [[Chinese input methods for computers]]
* [[Fanqie]]
* [[Furigana]]
* [[Hangul]]
* [[Kana]]
* [[Ruby character]]
* [[Taiwanese Phonetic Symbols]]
* [[Zhuyin table]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{wiktionary|bopomofo}}
*[http://language.moe.gov.tw/001/Upload/files/site_content/M0001/juyin/index.html The Manual of The Phonetic Symbols of Mandarin Chinese] 
*[[Unicode]] reference glyphs for {{cite web|url= https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U3100.pdf |title=bopomofo }}&nbsp;{{small|(69.6&nbsp;KB)}} and {{cite web|url= https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U31A0.pdf |title=extended bopomofo }}&nbsp;{{small|(61.6&nbsp;KB)}}
*[http://mandarinspot.com/annotate?phs=zhuyin Bopomofo annotations]&nbsp;– adds inline and pop-up annotations with bopomofo pronunciation and English definitions to Chinese text or web pages.
*[http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/Lindict/ Mandarin Dictionary]&nbsp;– needs Chinese font for [[Big5]] encoding
* [http://ctext.org/pinyin.pl?if=en Chinese Phonetic Conversion Tool]&nbsp;– converts between Pinyin, Bopomofo and other phonetic systems
*[http://www.mandarintools.com/pyconverter.html Chinese Romanization Converter]&nbsp;– converts between Hanyu Pinyin, Wade–Giles, Gwoyeu Romatzyh and other known or (un-)common Romanization systems
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070113230816/http://www.cozywebsite.com/dictionary/zhuyin/ Bopomofo -> Wade-Giles -> Pinyin -> Word List]
*[http://www.wfu.edu/~moran/Cathay_Cafe/IPA_NPA_4.htm NPA->IPA] National Phonetic Alphabet (bopomofo) spellings of words transliterated into the International Phonetic Alphabet. The vowel values have been verified against the official IPA site. See IPA help preview, SIL International website. See [https://web.archive.org/web/20040603040407/http://www.sil.org/computing/speechtools/softdev2/IPAhelp2/ipavowel2.htm IPA help preview, SIL International website.] (Accessed 23 December 2010).
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050121080656/http://www.inxsoft.net/mandarin-resource/converter.php Bopomofo to Pinyin converter and reverse]
*[http://www.pinyin.info/romanization/bopomofo/basic.html bopomofo syllable chart, with Hanyu Pinyin equivalents]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120326144612/http://annotator.jiang-long.com/ Pinyin Annotator]&nbsp;– adds bopomofo (bopomofo) or pinyin on top of any Chinese text, prompts alternative pronunciations to homonyms, has the option of exporting into [[OpenOffice.org Writer|OpenOffice Writer]] for further editing
*[http://stroke-order.learningweb.moe.edu.tw/bopomofo.do {{lang|zh|《請利用螢幕上的小鍵盤輸入注音符號》}}]&nbsp;– online keyboard for bopomofo which can turn it into Chinese characters
* [http://i2bopomo.com Online Bopomofo Input Method Editor {{lang|zh|免费在线中文输入法，使用注音}}]

{{Chinese language}}
{{list of writing systems}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Mandarin words and phrases]]
[[Category:Auxiliary and educational artificial scripts]]
[[Category:Ruby characters]]
[[Category:Writing systems derived from Chinese characters]]
[[Category:Transcription of Chinese]]
[[Category:CJK input methods]]
[[Category:Writing systems introduced in 1913]]