# Fuzhou dialect phrasebook

Fuzhou (福州话 Hók-ciŭ-uâ; Fuzhou speech) is a dialect of Chinese native to the Fuzhou region and its surrounding areas, as well as on the Taiwan-controlled island of Matsu. It is part of the Mindong (闽东话 Mìng-dĕ̤ng-ngṳ̄; Eastern Min) branch of the Min family of Chinese languages, which are also spoken throughout the East Fujian region. It is one of the official languages of Taiwan. Mutual intelligibility between Mindong dialects varies: while someone from Fuzhou can understand the Fuqing dialect with some effort, they will not be able to understand the dialect spoken in Fu'an.
It is also spoken by some Chinese diaspora in Southeast Asia; where in Indonesia it is known as Hokcia or Hokciu, meanwhile in Singapore and Malaysia it is known as either Fuchou or Foochow (sometimes also Hokchew). In Indonesia the speakers of Fuzhou can be found in Surabaya city and its adjecent regions, meanwhile in Malaysia it can be found in Sibu, Miri, Bintulu, Yong Peng and Sitiawan. In USA, Fuzhou also spoken by a significant minority of New York City's Chinese community.
There are also some speakers of Fuzhounese around the world. Fujian province has always been outward-looking, involved in trade and a source of emigrants.
The Fuzhou dialect is not mutually intelligible with Mandarin, Cantonese or any other Chinese dialects, not even other Min dialects like Minnan and Puxian and even certain dialects within Eastern Min branch.
Most Fuzhou dialect speakers in China and Taiwan are also able to speak Mandarin, so learning the language is not necessary to communicate, and foreigners living in the area usually opt to learn Mandarin instead which result in the language being in decline. That said, learning to speak Fuzhou dialect will almost certainly impress the locals.
All Chinese languages, in general, use the same set of characters in reading and writing in formal settings which is called Han Zi in Standard Mandarin, Hang Zi in Fuzhounese. This means that a Fuzhou dialect speaker and a Mandarin speaker cannot talk to each other, but either can generally read what the other writes. However, Fuzhou dialect written in a colloquial form has significant lexical differences from standard Mandarin, meaning that a Mandarin speaker will not be able to make everything out. Use the Chinese phrasebook for reading most writing in Fuzhou dialect-speaking areas.

## Pronunciation guide

Like other varieties of Chinese, Fuzhou dialect is written using Chinese characters but employs its own unique pronunciation.
In this guide, we will be using the Bàng-uâ-cê (BUC, 平話字/平话字) Romanization system, which was developed by Christian missionaries in the 19th century. While useful for foreigners trying to learn the language, it is virtually never learnt by native speakers, so stick to Chinese characters for written communication.

### Finals

Vowels in Fuzhou dialect usually have two pronunciations, classified as open (松) and closed (紧) rimes. Whether or not a vowel is pronounced with the open or closed rime depends on the tone of the syllable.

#### a

    （open）(IPA: /ɑ/) （closed）(IPA: /a/)

#### ia

    （open）(IPA: /iɑ/) （closed）(IPA: /ia/)

#### ua

    （open）(IPA: /uɑ/) （closed）(IPA: /ua/)

#### a̤

    （open）(IPA: /ɑ/) （closed）(IPA: /ɛ/)

#### ie

    （open）(IPA: /iɛ/) （closed）(IPA: /ie/)

#### o̤

    （open）(IPA: /ɔ/) （closed）(IPA: /o/)

#### io

    （open）(IPA: /yɔ/) （closed）(IPA: /yo/)

#### uo

    （open）(IPA: /uɔ/) （closed）(IPA: /uo/)

#### e̤ 、ae̤

    （open）(IPA: /ɔ/) （closed）(IPA: /œ/)

#### au

    （open）(IPA: /ɑu/) （closed）(IPA: /au/)

#### eu、aiu

    （open）(IPA: /ɑu/) （closed）(IPA: /ɛu/)

#### ieu

    （open）(IPA: /iɛu/) （closed）(IPA: /iu/)

#### iu、eu

    （open）(IPA: /iɛu/) （closed）(IPA: /iu/)

#### oi、o̤i

    （open）(IPA: /ɔy/) （closed）(IPA: /øy/)

#### ai

    （open）(IPA: /ɑi/) （closed）(IPA: /ai/)

#### uai

    （open）(IPA: /uɑi/) （closed）(IPA: /uai/)

#### uoi

    （open）(IPA: /ɑi/) （closed）(IPA: /ui/)

#### ui、oi/

    （open）(IPA: /uoi/) （closed）(IPA: /ui/)

#### i、e

    （open）(IPA: /ɛi/) （closed）(IPA: /i/)

#### u、o/

    （open）(IPA: /ou/) （closed）(IPA: /u/)

#### ṳ、e̤ṳ

    （open）(IPA: /øy/) （closed）(IPA: /y/)

#### ah

    （open）(IPA: /ɑʔ/) （closed）(IPA: /aʔ/)

#### iah

    （open）(IPA: /iɑʔ/) （closed）(IPA: /iaʔ/)

#### uah

    （open）(IPA: /uɑʔ/) （closed）(IPA: /uaʔ/)

#### a̤h

    （open）(IPA: /ɛʔ/) （closed）(IPA: /eʔ/)

#### ieh

    （open）(IPA: /iɛʔ/) （closed）(IPA: /ieʔ/)

#### o̤h

    （open）(IPA: /ɔʔ/) （closed）(IPA: /oʔ/)

#### ioh

    （open）(IPA: /yɔʔ/) （closed）(IPA: /yoʔ/)

#### uoh

    （open）(IPA: /uɔʔ/) （closed）(IPA: /uoʔ/)

#### e̤h

    （open）(IPA: /œʔ/) （closed）(IPA: /øʔ/)

#### ang

    （open）(IPA: /ɑŋ/) （closed）(IPA: /aŋ/)

#### iang

    （open）(IPA: /iɑŋ/) （closed）(IPA: /iaŋ/)

#### uang

    （open）(IPA: /uɑŋ/) （closed）(IPA: /uaŋ/)

#### ieng

    （open）(IPA: /iɛŋ/) （closed）(IPA: /ieŋ/)

#### iong

    （open）(IPA: /yɔŋ/) （closed）(IPA: /yoŋ/)

#### uong

    （open）(IPA: /uɔŋ/) （closed）(IPA: /uoŋ/)

#### ing、eng

    （open）(IPA: /ɛiŋ/) （closed）(IPA: /iŋ/)

#### ung、ong

    （open）(IPA: /ouŋ/) （closed）(IPA: /uŋ/)

#### ṳng、e̤ṳng

    （open）(IPA: /øyŋ/) （closed）(IPA: /yŋ/)

#### eng、aing

    （open）(IPA: /aiŋ/) （closed）(IPA: /eiŋ/)

#### ong、aung

    （open）(IPA: /auŋ/) （closed）(IPA: /ouŋ/)

#### e̤ng、ae̤ng

    （open）(IPA: /ɔyŋ/) （closed）(IPA: /øyŋ/)

### Tones

Mindong has seven different tones, as seen in the table below.
| Name | Pitch | Tone Mark | Open or closed vowel | Example | Notes |
| Ĭng-bìng 陰平/阴平 | 55 ˥˥ | ˘ | closed | 君 gŭng | Same as the first tone in Mandarin. |
| Siōng-sĭng 上聲/上声 | 33 ˧˧ | - | closed | 滾 gūng | Same as the third tone in Cantonese. |
| Ĭng-ké̤ṳ 陰去/阴去 | 213 ˨˩˧ | ˊ | open | 貢 góng | Similar to the third tone in Mandarin, but ends on a slightly lower pitch |
| Ĭng-ĭk 陰入/阴入 | 24 ˨˦ | ˊ | open | 谷 gók | Rising tone. 陰入/阴入 comes in two forms; "Ĭng-ĭk-gák 陰入甲/阴入甲"（"-k"，/k̚/） and "Ĭng-ĭk-ék 陰入乙/阴入乙" （"-h"，/-ʔ/）, which result in different tone sandhi patterns. |
| Iòng-bìng 陽平/阳平 | 53 ˥˧ | ` | closed | 群 gùng | Falling tone |
| Iòng-ké̤ṳ 陽去/阳去 | 242 ˨˦˨ | ^ | open | 郡 gông | Pitch first rises then falls back to original pitch |
| Iòng-ĭk 陽入/阳入 | 5 ˥ | ˘ | closed | 掘 gŭk | Similar to 陰平/阴平 but shorter. |

#### Tone sandhi

As with other Min languages, Mindong has a complex tone sandhi system, which makes it a little harder to learn than Mandarin. In general, tone sandhi applies to syllables other than the last syllable of a word, and depends on the tone of the next syllable.
The table shows Mindong's tone sandhi system (pink (rows)representing the preceding syllable, and light blue (columns) representing the following syllable：
| | 陰平, 55 | 陽平, 53 陽入, 5 | 上聲, 33 | 陰去, 213 陽去, 242 陰入, 24 |
| 陰平, 55 陰去, 213 陽去, 242 陰入乙, 24 | 55 | 55 | 53 | 53 |
| 陽平, 53 陽入, 5 | 55 | 33 | 33 | 21 |
| 上聲, 33 陰入甲, 24 | 21 | 21 | 35 | 55 |
In Mindong, tone sandhi also sometimes results in the pronunciation of the vowel changing between open and close rimes. For instance, in the place name 福州 (Hók-ciŭ), 福 on its own is pronounced (IPA: /houʔ˨˦/), while 州 on its own is pronounced (IPA: /tsiu˥˥/). However, due to tone sandhi, the tone of 福 changes from Ĭng-ĭk (陰入/阴入) to Ĭng-ké̤ṳ (陰去/阴去), and the pronunciation of the vowel also changes from the open rime (IPA: /ouʔ/) of Ĭng-ĭk to the closed rime (IPA: /uʔ/) of Ĭng-ké̤ṳ, so the resulting pronunciation of 福州 is (IPA: /huʔ˨˩ tsiu˥˥/).

### Initials

Like Mandarin, Mindong distinguishes between aspirated and unaspirated consonants, not voiced and unvoiced as in English. Mindong also lacks the "tongue rolling" consosants (pinyin zh, ch, sh, r) that Mandarin has.

#### b

    (IPA: /p/), like b in ball but not voiced; pinyin b

#### p

    (IPA: /pʰ/), like p in park; pinyin p

#### m

    (IPA: /m/), like m in moon; pinyin m

#### d

    (IPA: /t/), like d in dog but not voiced; pinyin d

#### t

    (IPA: /tʰ/), like t in tell; pinyin t

#### n

    (IPA: /n/), like n in neat; pinyin n

#### l

    (IPA: /l/), like l in leap; pinyin l

#### g

    (IPA: /k/), like g in good but not voiced; pinyin g

#### k

    (IPA: /kʰ/), like k in kite; pinyin k

#### ng

    (IPA: /ŋ/), like ng in sing; pinyin ng

#### h

    (IPA: /h/), like h in hat; pinyin h

#### c

    (IPA: /ts/), no equivalent in English, similar to zz in pizza; pinyin z

#### ch

    (IPA: /tsʰ/), like ts in bits; pinyin c

#### s

    (IPA: /s/), like s in sign; pinyin s

#### Initial assimilation

One unique feature of Mindong is that when preceded by another syllable in multi-syllable word, the pronunciation of the consonant often changes depending on the final consonant of the preceding syllable as seen in the table below.
| Coda of the Former Syllable | Initial Assimilation of the Latter Syllable |
| Null coda or (IPA: /-ʔ/) | (IPA: /p/)、(IPA: /pʰ/)→(IPA: /β/) (IPA: /t/)、(IPA: /tʰ/)、(IPA: /s/)→(IPA: /l/) (IPA: /k/)、(IPA: /kʰ/)、(IPA: /h/)→null initial (IPA: /ts/)、(IPA: /tsʰ/)→(IPA: /ʒ/) unchanged：(IPA: /m/)、(IPA: /n/)、(IPA: /ŋ/) |
| (IPA: /-ŋ/) | (IPA: /p/)、(IPA: /pʰ/)→(IPA: /m/) (IPA: /t/)、(IPA: /tʰ/)、(IPA: /s/)、(IPA: /l/)→(IPA: /n/) (IPA: /k/)、(IPA: /kʰ/)、(IPA: /h/)、null initial→(IPA: /ŋ/) (IPA: /ts/)、(IPA: /tsʰ/)→(IPA: /ʒ/) unchanged：(IPA: /m/)、(IPA: /n/)、(IPA: /ŋ/) |
| (IPA: /-k̚/) | all initials remain unchanged |

## Phrase list
### Basics
#### Hello.

    汝好。 (Nṳ̄ hō̤)

#### How are you?

    食𡅏未？/食咯未？ (Siĕh lō̤ muôi?) lit. "Have you eaten?"

#### Fine, thank you.

    食𡅏了。/食咯了。(Siĕh lō̤ lāu) lit. "I've already eaten.

#### What is your name?

    汝號甚乇名字？ (Nṳ̄ hô̤ sié-nó̤h miàng-cê?) / 汝告甚乇名字？ (Nṳ̄ gó̤ sié-nó̤h miàng-cê?)

#### My name is ______ .

    我是______。 (Nguāi sê _____.) / 我其名字號𡅏______。 (Nguāi gì miàng-cê hô̤ lā̤ _____.)

#### Nice to meet you.

    野歡喜看見汝。 (Ia huang-hi kang-gieng nṳ.)

#### Thank you.

    謝定。 (Siâ diâng.)

#### You're welcome.

    無客氣。 (Mò̤ káik-ké.) / 無細膩。(Mò̤ sa̤-na̤.)

#### I'm sorry.

    對𣍐住。 (Dó̤i mâ̤ cê̤ṳ.) / 豈重。 (Kī-dâe̤ng.)

#### Goodbye

    再見 (Cái-giéng)

#### Goodbye (informal)

    先走噢了。 (Sĕng giàng o̤ lāu.)

#### I can't speak Fuzhou dialect.

    我𣍐仈講福州话. (Nguāi mâ̤ báik gōng Hók-ciŭ-uâ)

#### Look out!

    注意！ (Cé̤ṳ-é!)

#### Good morning.

    早。 (Cā.)

#### I don't understand.

    我𣍐會意。 (Nguāi mâ̤ huôi-é.)

#### Where is the toilet?

    底呢有廁所？ (Diē-nè̤ ô cháik-sū?)

### Problems
#### I'll call the police.

    我卜報警噢了。 (Nguāi buóh bó̤ gīng o̤ lāu.)

#### Police!

    警察！ (Gīng-chák!)

#### I need your help.

    我需要汝其幫忙。 (Nguāi sṳ̆-iéu nṳ̄ gì bŏng-mòng.)

#### It's an emergency.

    嚽是緊急情況。 (Cuòi sê gīng-gék cìng-huóng.)

#### I'm lost.

    我行拍逿墿噢。 (Nguāi giàng páh-dâung-duô o̤.)

#### I lost my bag.

    我其包包拍無噢。 (Nguāi gì bău-bău páh-mò̤ o̤.)

#### I lost my wallet.

    我其錢包拍逿噢。 (Nguāi gì cièng-bău páh-dâung o̤.)

#### I've been injured.

    我受傷噢。 (Nguāi sêu-siŏng o̤.)

#### I need a doctor.

    我需要醫生。 (Nguāi sṳ̆-iéu ĭ-sĕng.)

#### Can I use your phone?

    會使撮汝其電話拍蜀拍𣍐？ (Â̤ sāi chŏk nṳ̄ gì diêng-uâ páh siŏh páh mâ̤?)

### Numbers
#### 0

    零 (lìng) / 環 (kuàng)

#### 1

    一 (ék) / 蜀 (siŏh) — Both can be used when counting, but only 蜀 is used with counter words

#### 2

    二 (nê) / 兩（lâng）— Both can be used when counting, but only 兩 is used with counter words

#### 3

    三 (săng)

#### 4

    四 (sé)

#### 5

    五 (ngô)

#### 6

    六 (lĕ̤k)

#### 7

    七 (chék)

#### 8

    八 (báik)

#### 9

    九 (gāu)

#### 10

    十 (sék)

#### 11

    十一 (sék-ék)

#### 12

    十二 (sék-nê)

#### 20

    二十 (nê-sék) / 廿 (niék) — 二十 is usually used when counting, but 廿 is used with counter words

#### 21

    廿一 (niék-ék)

#### 22

    廿二 (niék-nê)

#### 100

    蜀百 (siŏh-báik)

#### 200

    兩百 (lâng-báik)

#### 1,000

    蜀千 (siŏh-chiĕng)

#### 2,000

    兩千 (lâng-chiĕng)

#### 10,000

    蜀萬 (siŏh-uâng)

#### 100,000,000

    蜀億 (siŏh-é)

#### half

    蜀半 (siŏh-buáng)

#### more
### Time
#### Writing time and date
### Colors
#### brown
### Transportation
#### Taxi
##### Taxi!
##### Take me there, please.
### Lodging
#### I want to check out.
### Money
#### Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)?
### Eating
#### The check, please.
### Bars
#### Cheers!
### Shopping
#### I don't want it.

    我不要 (mori)