How to use
- Type or paste Chinese text.
- Choose how tones are written, and whether you want full pinyin or only the first letters.
- Check the annotated text. Underlined characters have more than one reading; click to choose another.
- Copy the result.
Options explained
- Tones
- Marks put the tone on the vowel (lǜ). Numbers follow the syllable (lü4); the neutral tone is written as 5. None drops tones entirely.
- Initials only
- Outputs the first letter of each syllable, for example 北京 → bj. Often used for search keys and short codes.
- Name mode
- Uses surname readings for the first character, so 单 reads shàn and 曾 reads zēng in names.
- Write ü as v
- With tones off, writes lü as lv, the way pinyin input methods and many URLs do.
Examples
| Text | Marks | Numbers | Initials |
|---|---|---|---|
| 你好 | nǐ hǎo | ni3 hao3 | nh |
| 绿色 | lǜ sè | lü4 se4 | ls |
| 银行 | yín háng | yin2 hang2 | yh |
Frequently asked questions
How are characters with more than one reading handled?
The reading is chosen from the surrounding words, so 银行 is yín háng and 行走 is xíng zǒu. Context cannot resolve every case — the annotated view lets you correct any character with a different reading.
Are tone changes for 一 and 不 applied?
Yes. 一 and 不 are written with the tone they are spoken with, such as yí gè and bú cuò. Other tone sandhi, like two third tones in a row, is not marked, following standard pinyin spelling.
Does it work with Traditional characters?
Yes, most Traditional characters are recognised. For best results with long Traditional texts, convert them to Simplified first with the Chinese converter.
Is my text uploaded?
No. The pinyin dictionary is loaded into your browser and the conversion runs there.
Privacy
This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files and text are processed on your device and are never uploaded to our servers.