Province-level divisions of China

It should be noted that all transcriptions provided below are based on Standard Mandarin; however, certain rules may also be applicable to other Sinitic languages.

For polysyllabic words, syllabic stress should be applied in accordance with the hierarchy of tone priorities, which is as follows: tone 4 takes precedence over tone 1, tone 1 over tone 2, and tone 2 over tone 3. If they are the same tone, applied stress on the initial syllable.

Note that this stress marking may be different from the actual situation in Chinese because this marking is determined based on the tone contour. In contrast, strict transcription does not use stress character for distinctions, e.g. šanšyi vs šanšyí for Shanxi vs Shaanxi.

Tone sandhi rules 🌟

• When there are two consecutive third-tone syllables, the first of them is pronounced with second tone.

• Tone 2 becomes higher and changes its direction, approaching the tone 1 pitch contour, when put between tone 1 or 2 and any other full tone.

• Rising tone induced by the tone 3 sandhi also undergoes this transformation.

• Tone 4 becomes lower and flatter, but still slightly falling, akin to Cantonese tone 3, when put between tone 3 or 4 and tone 1 or 4.

• Provinces

  • Anhui 安徽 anxwei ⟨Ānhuī⟩ qa\ Q2nxw qei\
    • Hefei 合肥 xëfei ⟨Héféi⟩ qxë> qfei>
  • Fujian 福建 fučyèn ⟨Fújiàn⟩ qfu> Q2čy qen<
    • Fuzhou 福州 fučóu ⟨Fúzhōu⟩ qfu> Q2č qou\
  • Guangdong 廣東 kwaňtóň ⟨Guǎngdōng⟩ Q2kw qa<> Q2ňt qoň\
    • Guangzhou 廣州 kwaňčóu ⟨Guǎngzhōu⟩ Q2kw qa<> Q2ňč qou\
  • Gansu 甘肅 kansú ⟨Gānsù⟩ qka\ Q2ns qu<
    • Lanzhou 蘭州 lančóu ⟨Lánzhōu⟩ qla> Q2nč qou\
  • Guizhou 貴州 kweičou ⟨Guìzhōu⟩ Q2kw qei< Q2č qou\
    • Guiyang 貴陽 kweiyaň ⟨Guìyáng⟩ Q2kw qei< Q2y qaň>
  • Henan 河南 xënan ⟨Hénán⟩ qxë> Q2n qan>
    • Zhengzhou 鄭州 čëňčou ⟨Zhèngzhōu⟩ qčë< Q2ňč qou\
  • Hubei 湖北 xupei ⟨Húběi⟩ qxu> Q2p qei<>
    • Wuhan 武漢 uxán ⟨Wǔhàn⟩ qu<> qxa< Q2n
  • Hebei 河北 xëpei ⟨Héběi⟩ qxë> Q2p qei<>
    • Shijiazhuang 石家莊 šíčyačwaň ⟨Shíjiāzhuāng⟩ qši> Q2čy qa\ Q1čw qaň\
  • Hainan 海南 xainán ⟨Hǎinán⟩ Q2x qai<> Q2n qan>
    • Haikou 海口 xaikhou ⟨Hǎikǒu⟩ Q2x qai> Q2k qou<> 🌟
  • Heilongjiang 黑龍江 xéiloňčyaň ⟨Hēilóngjiāng⟩ Q2x qei\ qlo> Q2ňčy aň 🌟
    • Harbin 哈爾濱 xá’ërpin ⟨Hā'ěrbīn⟩ qxa'\ që<> Q2rp qin\
  • Hunan 湖南 xunan ⟨Húnán⟩ qxu> Q2n qan>
    • Changsha 長沙 čhaňšá ⟨Chángshā⟩ Q2čh qa> Q2ňš qa\
  • Jilin 吉林 čyilin ⟨Jílín⟩ Q2čy qi> Q2l q2in>
    • Changchun 長春 čhaňčhwên ⟨Chángchūn⟩ Q2čh qa> Q2ňčhw qën\
  • Jiangsu 江蘇 čyaňsu ⟨Jiāngsū⟩ Q2čy qa\ Q2ňs qu\
    • Nanjing 南京 nančyíň ⟨Nánjīng⟩ qna> Q2nčy qiň\
  • Jiangxi 江西 čyaňšyi ⟨Jiāngxī⟩ Q2čy qa\ Q2ňšy qi\
    • Nanchang 南昌 nančháň ⟨Nánchāng⟩ qna> Q2nčh qaň\
  • Liaoning 遼寧 lyauniň ⟨Liáoníng⟩ Q2ly qau> Q2n qiň>
    • Shenyang 沈陽 šën’yáň ⟨Shěnyáng⟩ Q2š qën'<> Q2y qaň>
  • Qinghai 青海 čçiňxai ⟨Qīnghǎi⟩ Q2čç qi\ Q2ňx qai<>
    • Xining 西寧 šyiníň ⟨Xīníng⟩ Q2šy qin\ qiň>
  • Sichuan 四川 sičhwan ⟨Sìchuān⟩ qsi< Q2čhw qan\
    • Chengdu 成都 čhëňtú ⟨Chéngdū⟩ Q2čh që> Q2ňt qu\
  • Shandong 山東 šantoň ⟨Shāndōng⟩ qša\ Q2nt qoň\
    • Jinan 濟南 čyinán ⟨Jǐnán⟩ Q2čy qin<> qan<
  • Shaanxi 陝西 šanšyí ⟨Shǎnxī⟩ qša<> Q2nšy i\
    • Xi'an 西安 šyiʼan ⟨Xī'ān⟩ Q2šy qi'\ qan\
  • Shanxi 山西 šanšyi ⟨Shānxī⟩ qša\ Q2nšy i\
    • Taiyuan 太原 thaiyön ⟨Tàiyuán⟩ Q2th qai< Q2y qön<
  • Taiwan 台灣 thaiwán ⟨Táiwān⟩ Q2th qai> Q2w qan\
    • Taipei 臺北 thaipei ⟨Táiběi⟩ Q2th qai> Q2p qei<>
  • Yunnan 雲南 ünnan ⟨Yúnnán⟩ qü> Q2nn qan>
    • Kunming 昆明 khwënmiň ⟨Kūnmíng⟩ Q2khw që\ Q2nm qiň>
  • Zhejiang 浙江 čëčyaň ⟨Zhèjiāng⟩ qčë< Q2čy qaň\
    • Hangzhou 杭州 xaňčou ⟨Hángzhōu⟩ qxa> Q2ňč qou\

• Autonomous regions:

  • Guangxi 廣西 kwaňšyi ⟨Guǎngxī⟩ Q2kw qa<> Q2ňšy i\
    • Nanning 南寧 nanniň ⟨Nánníng⟩ qna> Q2nn qiň>
  • Inner Mongolia 內蒙古 mëňku ⟨Nèi Měnggǔ⟩ qmë> Q2ňk qu<> 🌟
    • Hohhot 呼和浩特 xuxëxauthë ⟨Hūhéhàotè⟩ qxu\ qxë> Q2x qau< Q2th që<
  • Ningxia 寧夏 niňšyá ⟨Níngxià⟩ qni> Q2ňšy qa<
    • Yinchuan 銀川 inčwán ⟨Yínchuān⟩ qi> Q2nčw qan\
  • Tibet Autonomous Region 西藏自治區 šyicáň ⟨Xīzàng Zìzhìqū⟩ Q2šy qic\ qaň<
    • Lhasa 拉薩 lasá ⟨Lāsà⟩ qla\ qsa<
  • Xinjiang 新疆 šyinčyaň ⟨Xīnjiāng⟩ Q2šy qi\ Q2nčy aň\
    • Ürümqi 乌鲁木齐 ulumučçi ⟨Wūlǔmùqí⟩ qu\ qlu<> qmu< Q2čç qi>

• Municipalities:

  • Beijing 北京 peičyíň ⟨Běijīng⟩ Q2p qei<> Q2čy qiň\
  • Tianjin 天津 tçenčyin ⟨Tiānjīn⟩ Q2tç qe\ Q2nčy qin\
  • Shanghai 上海 šaňxai ⟨Shànghǎi⟩ qša< Q2ňx qai<>
  • Chongqing 重慶 čhoňčçíň ⟨Chóngqìng⟩ Q2čh qo< Q2ňčç qiň>

• Special administrative regions:

  • Hong Kong 香港 šyaňkaň ⟨Xiānggǎng⟩ Q2šy qa\ Q2ňk qaň<>
  • Macau 澳門 aumën ⟨Àomén⟩ qau< Q2m qën>

Prefectures of Japan

It should be noted that all transcriptions provided below are based on Standard Japanese (Tokyo/NHK accent); however, certain rules may also be applicable to other Sinitic languages.

Note that this stress marking may be different from the actual situation in Japanese because this marking is determined based on the pitch contour. In contrast, strict transliteration does not use stress character for distinctions.

• Hokkaidō 北海道 hokkaido ⟨hòkkáꜜìdòò⟩ qho/ Q2kk qai< qdo-/
  • Hokkaidō 北海道 ditto
    • Sapporo 札幌 sapporo ⟨sàppóró⟩ qsa/ Q2pp qo\ qro\
• Tōhoku 東北 tóhoku ⟨tòóhókú⟩ qto-> qho\ qku\
  • Aomori 青森 aómori ⟨àóꜜmòrì⟩ qao> qmo/ qri/
    • Aomori 青森 ditto
  • Iwate 岩手 íwate ⟨íꜜwàtè⟩ qi\ qwa/ qte/
    • Morioka 盛岡 moríoka ⟨mòríꜜòkà⟩ qmo/ Q2r qio< qka/
  • Miyagi 宮城 míyagi ⟨míꜜyàgì⟩ qmi\ qya/ qgi/
    • Sendai 仙台 sendai ⟨séꜜǹdàì⟩ qse\ Q2nd qai/
  • Akita 秋田 ákita ⟨áꜜkìtà⟩ qa\ qki/ qta/
    • Akita 秋田 ditto
  • Yamagata 山形 yamágata ⟨yàmáꜜgàtà⟩ qya/ qma\ qga/ qta/
    • Yamagata 山形 ditto
  • Fukushima 福島 fukúšima ⟨fùkúꜜshìmà⟩ qfu/ qku\ qši/ qma/
    • Fukushima 福島 ditto
• Kantō 関東 kanto ⟨káꜜǹtòò⟩ qka\ Q2nt qo-/
  • Ibaraki 茨城 ibáraki ⟨ìbáꜜràkì⟩ qi/ qba\ qra/ qki/
    • Mito 水戸 mitó ⟨mìtó⟩ qmi/ qto\
  • Tochigi 栃木 tóčigi ⟨tóꜜchìgì⟩ qto\ qči/ qgi/
    • Utsunomiya 宇都宮 ucúnomiya ⟨ùtsúnómíyá⟩ qu/ qcu\ qno\ qmi\ qya\
  • Gunma 群馬 gumma ⟨gúꜜǹmà⟩ qgu\ Q2mm qa/
    • Maebashi 前橋 maébaši ⟨màéꜜbàshì⟩ Q2m qae> qba/ qši/
  • Saitama 埼玉 sáitama ⟨sáꜜìtàmà⟩ Q2s qai< qta/ qma/
    • Saitama さいたま ditto
  • Chiba 千葉 čiba ⟨chíꜜbà⟩ qči\ qba/
    • Chiba 千葉 ditto
  • Tōkyō 東京 tokyo ⟨tòókyóó⟩ qto-> Q2ky qo-\
    • Tōkyō 東京 ditto
  • Kanagawa 神奈川 kanágawa ⟨kànáꜜgàwà⟩ qka/ qna\ qga/ qwa/
    • Yokohama 横浜 yokóhama ⟨yòkóhámá⟩ qyo/ qko\ qha\ qma\
• Chūbu 中部 čubu ⟨chúꜜùbù⟩ qču-< qbu/
  • Niigata 新潟 nígata ⟨nìígátá⟩ qni-> qga\ qta\
    • Niigata 新潟 ditto
  • Toyama 富山 tóyama ⟨tóꜜyàmà⟩ qto\ qya/ qma/
    • Toyama 富山 ditto
  • Ishikawa 石川 išíkawa ⟨ìshíkáwá⟩ qi/ qši\ qka\ qwa\
    • Kanazawa 金沢 kanázawa ⟨kànáꜜzàwà⟩ qka/ qna\ qza/ qwa/
  • Fukui 福井 fukúi ⟨fùkúꜜì⟩ qfu/ Q2k qui<
    • Fukui 福井 ditto
  • Yamanashi 山梨 yamánaši ⟨yàmáꜜnàshì⟩ qya/ qma\ qna/ qši/
    • Kōfu 甲府 kófu ⟨kòófú⟩ qko-> qfu\
  • Nagano 長野 nágano ⟨náꜜgànò⟩ qna\ qga/ qno/
    • Nagano 長野 ditto
  • Gifu 岐阜 gifú ⟨gìfú⟩ qgi/ qfu\
    • Gifu 岐阜 ditto
  • Shizuoka 静岡 šizúoka ⟨shìzúꜜòkà⟩ qši/ Q2z quo< qka/
    • Shizuoka 静岡 ditto
  • Aichi 愛知 aiči ⟨áꜜìchì⟩ qai< qči/
    • Nagoya 名古屋 nágoya ⟨náꜜgòyà⟩ qna\ qgo/ qya/
• Kansai 関西 kansai ⟨káꜜǹsàì⟩ qka\ Q2ns qai/
  • Mie 三重 mie ⟨míꜜè⟩ Q2m qie<
    • Tsu 津 cu ⟨tsúꜜ⟩ qcu\
  • Shiga 滋賀 šiga ⟨shíꜜgà⟩ qši\ qga/
    • Ōtsu 大津 ócu ⟨óꜜòtsù⟩ qo-< qcu/
  • Kyōto 京都 kyoto ⟨kyóꜜòtò⟩ Q2ky qo-< qto/
    • Kyōto 京都 ditto
  • Ōsaka 大阪 ósaka ⟨òósáká⟩ qo-> qsa\ qto\
    • Ōsaka 大阪 ditto
  • Hyōgo 兵庫 çogo ⟨hyóꜜògò⟩ qço-< qgo/
    • Kōbe 神戸 kobe ⟨kóꜜòbè⟩ qko-< qbe/
  • Nara 奈良 nara ⟨náꜜrà⟩ qna\ qra/
    • Nara 奈良 ditto
  • Wakayama 和歌山 wakáyama ⟨wàkáꜜyàmà⟩ qwa/ qka\ qya/ qma/
    • Wakayama 和歌山 ditto
• Chūgoku 中国 čúgoku ⟨chúꜜùgòkù⟩ qču-< qgo/ qku/
  • Tottori 鳥取 tottori ⟨tòttórí⟩ qto/ Q2tt qo\ qri\
    • Tottori 鳥取 ditto
  • Shimane 島根 šímane ⟨shíꜜmànè⟩ qši\ qma/ qne/
    • Matsue 松江 macúe ⟨màtsúé⟩ qma/ Q2c que\
  • Okayama 岡山 okáyama ⟨òkáꜜyàmà⟩ qo/ qka\ qya/ qma/
    • Okayama 岡山 ditto
  • Hiroshima 広島 çiróšima ⟨hìróshímá⟩ qçi/ qro\ qši\ qma\
    • Hiroshima 広島 ditto
  • Yamaguchi 山口 yamáguči ⟨yàmáꜜgùchì⟩ qya/ qna\ qgu/ qči/
    • Yamaguchi 山口 ditto
• Shikoku 四国 šigoku ⟨shìkóꜜkù⟩ qši/ qko\ qku/
  • Tokushima 徳島 tokúšima ⟨tòkúꜜshìmà⟩ qto/ qku\ qši/ qma/
    • Tokushima 徳島 ditto
  • Kagawa 香川 kágawa ⟨káꜜgàwà⟩ qka\ qga/ qwa/
    • Takamatsu 高松 takámacu ⟨tàkáꜜmàtsù⟩ qta/ qka\ qma/ qcu/
  • Ehime 愛媛 éçime ⟨éꜜhìmè⟩ qe\ qçi/ qme/
    • Matsuyama 松山 macúyama ⟨màcúꜜyàmà⟩ qma/ qcu\ qya/ qma/
  • Kōchi 高知 koči ⟨kóꜜòchì⟩ qko-< qči/
    • Kōchi 高知 ditto
• Kyūshū 九州 kyušu ⟨kyúꜜùshùù⟩ Q2ky qu-< qšu-/
  • Fukuoka 福岡 fukúoka ⟨fùkúꜜòkà⟩ qfu/ Q2k quo< qka/
    • Fukuoka 福岡 ditto
  • Saga 佐賀 saga ⟨sáꜜgà⟩ qsa\ qga/
    • Saga 佐賀 ditto
  • Nagasaki 長崎 nagásaki ⟨nàgáꜜsàkì⟩ qna/ qga\ qsa/ qki/
    • Nagasaki 長崎 ditto
  • Kumamoto 熊本 kumámoto ⟨kùmámótó⟩ qku/ qma\ qmo\ qto\
    • Kumamoto 熊本 ditto
  • Ōita 大分 óita ⟨óꜜòìtà⟩ qo-< qi/ qta/
    • Ōita 大分 ditto
  • Miyazaki 宮崎 miyázaki ⟨mìyáꜜzàkì⟩ qmi/ qya\ qza/ qki/
    • Miyazaki 宮崎 ditto
  • Kagoshima 鹿児島 kagóšima ⟨kàgóshímá⟩ qka/ qgo\ qši\ qma\
    • Kagoshima 鹿児島 ditto
• Ryūkyū Islands 琉球諸島 ryukyu ⟨ryùúkyúꜜù⟩ Q2ry qu-> Q2ky qu-<`
  • Okinawa 沖縄 okínawa ⟨òkínáwá⟩ qo/ qki\ qna\ qwa\
    • Naha 那覇 naha ⟨náꜜhà⟩ qna\ qha/

References:

1. Wiktionary. (n.d.). Wiktionary, the free dictionary. https://en.wiktionary.org
2. Matsumura, A. (Ed.). (2006). 大辞林 [Daijirin] (3rd ed.). Sanseidō.
3. NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute. (Ed.). (1998). NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary]. NHK Publishing, Inc.
4. 峯松・齋藤研究室 [Minematsu / Saito Laboratory, Grad. School of Eng., The University of Tokyo] (n.d.). OJAD - Online Japanese Accent Dictionary. https://www.gavo.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/ojad/eng/pages/home

Provinces of the Korean Peninsula

The abbreviation NK stands for North Korean standard language, while SK refers to South Korean standard language.

• Chungcheong 충청도 忠淸道 čhuňčhëň [t͡ɕʰuŋt͡ɕʰʌ̹ŋdo̞]
  • Gongju 공주 公州 koňju [ko̞ŋd͡ʑu]
• Gangwon 강원도 江原道 kaŋwën [ka̠ŋwʌ̹ndo̞]
  • Wonju 원주시 原州市 wënju [wʌ̹ɲd͡ʑu]
• Gyeonggi 경기도 京畿道 kyëňgi [kjʌ̹ŋɡido̞]
  • Hanseong (Seoul) 한성 (서울) 漢城 hanshëň (shëul) [ˈha̠(ː)nsʰʌ̹ŋ] ([sʰəuɭ])
• Gyeongsang 경상도 慶尙道 kyëňshaň [ˈkjɘ(ː)ŋsʰa̠ŋdo̞]
  • Daegu 대구 大邱 tägu [tɛɡu] ~ [te̞ɡu]
• Hamgyŏng 함경도 咸鏡道 hamgyëň [ha̠mɡjʌ̹ŋdo̞]
  • Hamhŭng 함흥시 咸興市 hamřuň [ha̠mɣɯŋ]
• Hwanghae 황해도 黃海道 fwaňřä [ɸwa̠ŋɦɛ] ~ [ɸwa̠ŋɦe̞]
  • Haeju 해주시 海州市 NK häżu [hɛd͡zu] SK häju [ˈhɛ(ː)d͡ʑu] ~ [ˈhe̞(ː)d͡ʑu]
• Jeolla 전라도 全羅道 čëlla [t͡ɕʌ̹ɭɭa̠do̞]
  • Jeonju 전주시 全州市 čënju [t͡ɕʌ̹ɲd͡ʑu]
• P’yŏngan 평안도 平安道 NK pçoňan [pʰjɔŋa̠ndo̞] SK pçëňan [pʰjʌ̹ŋa̠ndo̞]
  • P’yŏngyang 평양시 平壤市 pçëňyaň [pʰjʌ̹ŋja̠ŋ]