20 Words Chinese Speakers Say WRONG!?

In Pronunciation by Angel Huang

If you look up the word 好莱坞 (Hollywood) in a dictionary, the pronunciation you get is:

 Hǎo lái  

But in the real world, it seems like “everyone” says: 

 Hǎo lái  

Confusing, huh?

Well, let’s take a look at some similar examples and find out what such differences mean for you as a learner!

The Words From the Video

Audio

Dictionary

People

nèi jiù

内疚

Guilty

nèi jiū

内疚

Guilty

bàn gōng shì
办公室

Office

bàn gōng shǐ
办公室

Office

jié guǒ

结果

Result 

jiē guǒ

结果

Result 

wén jiàn jiā

文件夹

Folder

wén jiàn jiá

文件夹

Folder

Hǎo lái

好莱坞

Hollywood

Hǎo lái

好莱坞

Hollywood

yīn wèi

因为

Because

yīn wéi

因为

Because

zhá

炸鸡

Fried chicken

zhà

炸鸡

Fried chicken

fēi wén

绯闻

Scandal

fěi wén

绯闻

Scandal

复杂

Complicated

复杂

Complicated

liú xuè

流血

to bleed

liú xuě

流血

to bleed

符合

in accordance with / in line with 

符合

in accordance with / in line with 

jiào

比较

quite / comparatively 

jiǎo

比较

quite / comparatively 

chéng

惩罚

punishment / to punish

chěng

惩罚

punishment / to punish

chēng

昵称

Nickname

 chēng

昵称

Nickname

业绩

Performance

 

业绩

Performance

zhì liàng

质量

Quality

zhǐ liàng

质量

Quality

zhī fáng

脂肪

Fat (in the body, in a plant, or in food)

zhǐ fáng

脂肪

Fat (in the body, in a plant, or in food)

zhǔ yi

主意

Idea

zhú yi

主意

Idea

xià zài

下载

to download

xià zǎi

下载

to download

yùn chē

晕车

to be carsick

yūn chē

晕车

to be carsick