🀄 Day 6 — Pinyin Initials (Consonants)
Phase: Phase 1 | Milestone: Foundation — Sound & Script
⏱️ Today’s Session (1 Hour)
| Block | Time | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Review | 0:00–0:15 | Anki / Pleco SRS flashcards |
| New Content | 0:15–0:45 | Today’s lesson + exercises |
| Listening | 0:45–0:55 | Audio immersion / shadowing |
| Output | 0:55–1:00 | Speak or write original Chinese |
📖 Review (15 min)
- Anki: “SpoonFed Chinese” — 15 cards
- Pleco: Full tone pair review. 50 reps. Target: 85%+.
🆕 New Content (30 min)
🎥 Watch First
Yoyo Chinese — Pinyin Lesson 5: Initials
The 21 Initials
| Group | Initials | Key Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Labial | b, p, m, f | b=unaspirated ‘p’, p=aspirated |
| Alveolar | d, t, n, l | d=unaspirated ‘t’, t=aspirated |
| Velar | g, k, h | g=unaspirated ‘k’, h=rough like Scottish ‘loch’ |
| Palatal | j, q, x | ⚠️ Tongue flat behind LOWER teeth! |
| Retroflex | zh, ch, sh, r | ⚠️ Tongue curled BACK |
| Dental | z, c, s | Tongue against back of upper teeth |
✏️ Exercises
- Aspiration Test (5 min): Hold tissue in front of mouth. b/p: p moves tissue, b doesn’t. Test d/t, g/k, j/q, zh/ch, z/c.
- j/q/x Drill (10 min): Tongue tip behind LOWER teeth. Flat tongue. Say jī qī xī, jiā qiā xiā, jiū qiū xiū. 10×.
- zh/ch/sh/r Drill (5 min): Tongue curled back. zhī chī shī rì. 10× each.
- z/c/s Drill (5 min): Tongue against back of upper teeth. zī cī sī. 10× each.
🎧 Listening (10 min)
🎧 Yoyo Chinese Pinyin Chart — click through every initial. Listen. Imitate.
🗣️ Output (5 min)
📱 Record all 21 initials with tone 1: bā pā mā fā dā tā nā lā gā kā hā jī qī xī zhī chī shī rī zī cī sī.
Day 6 Checklist0/5