Mastering the “TH” Sound: A Guide for Chinese Speakers

Many students have asked me, “Why do I have an accent after so many years of studying English?” First of all,  it’s challenging for Chinese speakers to master English pronunciation due to the differences in phonetics, style, and rhythm between the two languages. 

Several Chinese dialects exist, including Shanghainese, Cantonese, and Mandarin. When speaking English, Chinese speakers rely on the sounds and structure of their native language, which can impact their pronunciation.

Today, let's focus on the voiced “TH” sound found in words like “these” and “that.” This sound is important in English but doesn’t exist in Chinese. Many native speakers will substitute a different sound for the voiced “TH” in English.

Chinese speakers may find the “TH” sound difficult or unfamiliar and might unintentionally mispronounce words like "there" as "there" or "mother" as "mudder."

Remember, you cannot correctly pronounce something until you hear it. If you are having difficulty with the voiced and unvoiced “TH,” watch this video on how to produce this sound accurately. Listen attentively to the recording and pay attention to the pronunciation of the voiced and unvoiced “TH.” Train your ears to recognize the differences in articulation, length, and voicing.

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