Back to Mandarin nasal finals

Word Guide

Tier 1 Practice Page

How to pronounce 担心 (dān xīn)

担心 means "to worry". Use this guide to lock in the tone pattern, articulation target, and the mistake most learners still make.

Pinyin

dān xīn

Tone Pattern

Tone 1 + Tone 1

Pronunciation Focus

nasalFinal

How to say it

Both syllables end with a front nasal, so let the tongue finish forward instead of drifting backward.

Phonetic Breakdown

d+an_x+in

Most common error

The ending often shifts toward -ng, which muddies the word shape.

HSK Level

HSK2

Related pronunciation rules

n vs ng: how to fix Mandarin nasal finals

A guide to front nasal -n and back nasal -ng endings, with words that train the difference clearly.

Practice similar examples

聪明 (cōng míng)

Keep c forward and aspirated, then preserve the -ng ending in both syllables.

声音 (shēng yīn)

The first syllable ends in -ng, but the second ends in -n. Feel the mouth shift from back to front.

干净 (gān jìng)

Use a front nasal in gān, then switch back for the -ng in jìng.

Hear the same pattern in sentences

请安静。 (qǐng ān jìng)

Move from a back nasal in qǐng to a front nasal in ān, then back again in jìng.

饭好了。 (fàn hǎo le)

Listen for the front-versus-back nasal ending in 饭好了。 (fàn hǎo le) and keep the mouth position distinct on each syllable.

风很大。 (fēng hěn dà)

Listen for the front-versus-back nasal ending in 风很大。 (fēng hěn dà) and keep the mouth position distinct on each syllable.

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