Task 7: `m` is a nasal sound

m is a nasal sound. To pronounce it, gently press your lips together like you’re about to say b, but instead of opening them, keep them closed and let the sound come out through your nose while making a soft humming sound in your throat.

It should feel like when you hum a song with your mouth closed, producing a smooth, continuous nasal sound without any air escaping through your lips.

You might sometimes hear m pronounced as mo. It’s because adding the simple final o makes this initial easier to hear.

When m combines with the finals a, o, i, and u, you get syllables: ma, mo, mi, and mu.

Similar to b, when pronouncing these syllables, smoothly link the m sound directly into the final without pausing between them. The only difference will be the mouth shape you make for each specific final.

Let’s practice pronouncing m and the syllables, and then use mi in different tones as an example.

Pinyin	Character
mī	眯
mí	迷
mǐ	米
mì	蜜