GB/T 16159-2012 Basic rules of the Chinese phonetic alphabet orthography
1 Scope
This standard specifies the rules for spelling modern Chinese using the scheme for the Chinese phonetic alphabet. The content includes rules for word segmentation (writing with spaces between words) and concatenation (including hyphenation), spelling personal names and place names, capitalization, tone labeling, hyphenation, and punctuation usage. To accommodate special needs, certain flexibility rules have also been stipulated.
This standard applies to the spelling of Chinese phonetic alphabet in cultural education, editorial publishing, Chinese information processing, and other related fields.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
GB/T 15834 General rules for punctuation
GB/T 28039 The Chinese phonetic alphabet spelling rules for Chinese names
The scheme for the Chinese phonetic alphabet (Approved at the Fifth Session of the First National People's Congress on February 11, 1958)
Generic terms of geographical names in China—Chinese phonetic alphabet spelling rules (For Chinese Place Names) (Issued by the China Committee on Geographical Names, the Chinese Character Reform Committee, and the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping on December 25, 1984)
3 Terms and Definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
word
smallest unit in language that can be used independently
3.2
scheme for the Chinese phonetic alphabet
scheme for annotating Chinese characters with phonetic notation and spelling the pronunciation of Mandarin, approved at the Fifth Session of the First National People's Congress on February 11, 1958. The Latin alphabets, with diacritical marks, are used to indicate tones in this scheme, serving as a tool for learning Chinese characters and promoting Mandarin
3.3
the Chinese phonetic alphabet orthography
orthographic norms of Chinese phonetic alphabets and the guidelines for their writing format
4 Principle
4.1 This standard further specifies the spelling rules for words based on the syllable spelling rules established in the scheme for the Chinese phonetic alphabet.
4.2 For spelling by words, consideration is given to phonetic and semantic factors as well as the length of word spelling.
4.3 Rules for word segmentation (writing with spaces between words) and concatenation (including hyphenation) are specified according to segmentation by grammatical word classes.
5 General provisions
5.1 Spelling of Mandarin is basically based on the word as the writing unit. Example:
rén (人) pǎo (跑)
hǎo (好) nǐ (你)
sān (三) ɡè (个)
hěn (很) bǎ (把)
hé (和) de (的)
ā (啊) pēnɡ (砰)
fúrónɡ (芙蓉) qiǎokèlì (巧克力)
māmɑ (妈妈) pénɡyou (朋友)
yuèdú (阅读) wǎnhuì (晚会)
zhònɡshì (重视) dìzhèn (地震)
niánqīnɡ (年轻) qiānmínɡ (签名)
shìwēi (示威) niǔzhuǎn (扭转)
chuánzhī (船只) dànshì (但是)
fēichánɡ (非常) dīnɡdōnɡ (叮咚)
āiyā (哎呀) diànshìjī (电视机)
túshūɡuǎn (图书馆)
5.2 Words with two-syllable or three-syllable structures representing a single integral concept are concatenated. Example:
quánɡuó (全国) zǒulái (走来)
dǎnxiǎo (胆小) huánbǎo (环保)
ɡōnɡɡuān (公关) chánɡyònɡcí (常用词)
àiniǎozhōu (爱鸟周) yǎnzhōnɡdīnɡ (眼中钉)
èzuòjù (恶作剧) pòtiānhuānɡ (破天荒)
yīdāoqiē (一刀切) duìbuqǐ (对不起)
chīdexiāo (吃得消)
5.3 The names consisting of four or more syllables that denote a single integral concept are written with spaces between words or prosodic units (segments within a word delineated by phonological pauses); if they cannot be divided into words or prosodic units, they are concatenated entirely as one continuous string. Example:
Contents
Foreword i
1 Scope
2 Normative references
3 Terms and Definitions
4 Principle
5 General provisions
6 Basic rules
7 Flexibility rules
GB/T 16159-2012 Basic rules of the Chinese phonetic alphabet orthography
1 Scope
This standard specifies the rules for spelling modern Chinese using the scheme for the Chinese phonetic alphabet. The content includes rules for word segmentation (writing with spaces between words) and concatenation (including hyphenation), spelling personal names and place names, capitalization, tone labeling, hyphenation, and punctuation usage. To accommodate special needs, certain flexibility rules have also been stipulated.
This standard applies to the spelling of Chinese phonetic alphabet in cultural education, editorial publishing, Chinese information processing, and other related fields.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
GB/T 15834 General rules for punctuation
GB/T 28039 The Chinese phonetic alphabet spelling rules for Chinese names
The scheme for the Chinese phonetic alphabet (Approved at the Fifth Session of the First National People's Congress on February 11, 1958)
Generic terms of geographical names in China—Chinese phonetic alphabet spelling rules (For Chinese Place Names) (Issued by the China Committee on Geographical Names, the Chinese Character Reform Committee, and the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping on December 25, 1984)
3 Terms and Definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
word
smallest unit in language that can be used independently
3.2
scheme for the Chinese phonetic alphabet
scheme for annotating Chinese characters with phonetic notation and spelling the pronunciation of Mandarin, approved at the Fifth Session of the First National People's Congress on February 11, 1958. The Latin alphabets, with diacritical marks, are used to indicate tones in this scheme, serving as a tool for learning Chinese characters and promoting Mandarin
3.3
the Chinese phonetic alphabet orthography
orthographic norms of Chinese phonetic alphabets and the guidelines for their writing format
4 Principle
4.1 This standard further specifies the spelling rules for words based on the syllable spelling rules established in the scheme for the Chinese phonetic alphabet.
4.2 For spelling by words, consideration is given to phonetic and semantic factors as well as the length of word spelling.
4.3 Rules for word segmentation (writing with spaces between words) and concatenation (including hyphenation) are specified according to segmentation by grammatical word classes.
5 General provisions
5.1 Spelling of Mandarin is basically based on the word as the writing unit. Example:
rén (人) pǎo (跑)
hǎo (好) nǐ (你)
sān (三) ɡè (个)
hěn (很) bǎ (把)
hé (和) de (的)
ā (啊) pēnɡ (砰)
fúrónɡ (芙蓉) qiǎokèlì (巧克力)
māmɑ (妈妈) pénɡyou (朋友)
yuèdú (阅读) wǎnhuì (晚会)
zhònɡshì (重视) dìzhèn (地震)
niánqīnɡ (年轻) qiānmínɡ (签名)
shìwēi (示威) niǔzhuǎn (扭转)
chuánzhī (船只) dànshì (但是)
fēichánɡ (非常) dīnɡdōnɡ (叮咚)
āiyā (哎呀) diànshìjī (电视机)
túshūɡuǎn (图书馆)
5.2 Words with two-syllable or three-syllable structures representing a single integral concept are concatenated. Example:
quánɡuó (全国) zǒulái (走来)
dǎnxiǎo (胆小) huánbǎo (环保)
ɡōnɡɡuān (公关) chánɡyònɡcí (常用词)
àiniǎozhōu (爱鸟周) yǎnzhōnɡdīnɡ (眼中钉)
èzuòjù (恶作剧) pòtiānhuānɡ (破天荒)
yīdāoqiē (一刀切) duìbuqǐ (对不起)
chīdexiāo (吃得消)
5.3 The names consisting of four or more syllables that denote a single integral concept are written with spaces between words or prosodic units (segments within a word delineated by phonological pauses); if they cannot be divided into words or prosodic units, they are concatenated entirely as one continuous string. Example:
Contents of GB/T 16159-2012
Contents
Foreword i
1 Scope
2 Normative references
3 Terms and Definitions
4 Principle
5 General provisions
6 Basic rules
7 Flexibility rules
