The cyrillization of Chinese is the transcription of Chinese characters into the Cyrillic alphabet.
The Palladius system is the official Russian standard for transcribing Mandarin Chinese into Russian, with variants existing for Ukrainian, Belarusian and the various languages of Russia. It was created by Palladius Kafarov, a Russian sinologist and monk who spent thirty years in China in the nineteenth century. Other languages that use the Cyrillic script have systems designed for their own language.
Russian system Initials Note that because the Russian version of the Cyrillic alphabet has no letters for dz or dzh (although дз and дж are found in Bulgarian, and also ѕ and џ are found in Serbian and Macedonian Cyrillic), the digraphs цз and чж are used respectively. BilabialLabiodentalAlveolarRetroflexAlveolo-palatalVelarVoicelessVoicedVoicelessVoicelessVoicedVoicelessVoicedVoicelessVoicelessNasal м [m]m ㄇ m н [n]n ㄋ n PlosiveUnaspiratedб [p]p ㄅ b д [t]t ㄉ d г [k]k ㄍ gAspiratedп [pʰ]p' ㄆ p т [tʰ]t' ㄊ t к [kʰ]k' ㄎ kAffricateUnaspirated цз [ts]ts ㄗ zчж [ʈʂ]ch ㄓ zhцз [tɕ]ch ㄐ jAspirated ц [tsʰ]ts' ㄘ cч [ʈʂʰ]ch' ㄔ chц [tɕʰ]ch' ㄑ qFricative ф [f]f ㄈ fс [s]s ㄙ sш [ʂ]sh ㄕ shж [ʐ]j ㄖ rс [ɕ]hs ㄒ xх [x]h ㄏ hLateral л [l]l ㄌ l
Finals Nucleusaə∅Coda∅iunŋ∅iunŋɻMedial∅a [a]ㄚ aай [ai̯]ai ㄞ aiao [au̯]ao ㄠ aoань [an]an ㄢ anан [aŋ]ang ㄤ angэ [ɤ]ê/o ㄜ eэй [ei̯]ei ㄟ eiоу [ou̯]ou ㄡ ouэнь [ən]ên ㄣ enэн [əŋ]êng ㄥ engэр [aɚ̯]êrh ㄦ erи/ы [ʅ/ɿ]ih/ŭ -iiя [i̯a]ia ㄧㄚ ia яо [i̯au̯]iao ㄧㄠ iaoянь [i̯ɛn]ien ㄧㄢ ianян [i̯aŋ]iang ㄧㄤ iangе [i̯e]ieh ㄧㄝ ie ю [i̯ou̯]iu ㄧㄡ iuинь [in]in ㄧㄣ inин [iŋ]ing ㄧㄥ ing и [i]i ㄧ iuуа [u̯a]ua ㄨㄚ uaуай [u̯ai̯]uai ㄨㄞ uaiуань [u̯an]uan ㄨㄢ uanуан [u̯aŋ]uang ㄨㄤ uangо [u̯o]o/uo ㄨㄛ uoуй [u̯ei̯]ui ㄨㄟ uiунь [u̯ən]un ㄨㄣ unун [ʊŋ]ung ㄨㄥ ong у [u]u ㄨ uy юань [y̯ɛn]üan ㄩㄢ üan юэ [y̯e]üeh ㄩㄝ üe юнь [yn]ün ㄩㄣ ünюн [i̯ʊŋ]iung ㄩㄥ iong юй [y]ü ㄩ ü
In composites, coda ng is transcribed нъ when the following syllable starts with a vowel. For example, the names of the cities of Chang'an and Hengyang are transcribed as Чанъань and Хэнъян.
In syllables with no initial, w is transcribed as в in all cases except wu, transcribed as у. For example, the names of the cities of Wuwei (both Wuwei, Anhui and Wuwei, Gansu) and Wanning are transcribed as Увэй and Ваньнин.
Comparison chart This table establishes correspondence between the Russian Palladius system together with the two Romanization systems most commonly used in English-speaking countries: Pinyin and Wade–Giles. It contains every syllable found in Great Chinese–Russian Dictionary. Б / B П / PМ / M Ф / FCyrillicPinyinWGMPSCyrillicPinyinWGMPSCyrillicPinyinWGMPSCyrillicPinyinWGMPSбаbapaㄅㄚпаpapʻaㄆㄚмаmamaㄇㄚфаfafaㄈㄚбайbaipaiㄅㄞпайpaipʻaiㄆㄞмайmaimaiㄇㄞ банbangpangㄅㄤпанpangpʻangㄆㄤманmangmangㄇㄤфанfangfangㄈㄤбаньbanpanㄅㄢпаньpanpʻanㄆㄢманьmanmanㄇㄢфаньfanfanㄈㄢбаоbaopaoㄅㄠпаоpaopʻaoㄆㄠмаоmaomaoㄇㄠ беbiepiehㄅㄧㄝпеpiepʻiehㄆㄧㄝмеmiemiehㄇㄧㄝ биbipiㄅㄧпиpipʻiㄆㄧмиmimiㄇㄧ бинbingpingㄅㄧㄥпинpingpʻingㄆㄧㄥминmingmingㄇㄧㄥ биньbinpinㄅㄧㄣпиньpinpʻinㄆㄧㄣминьminminㄇㄧㄣ боbopoㄅㄛпоpopʻoㄆㄛмоmomoㄇㄛфоfofoㄈㄛ поуpoupʻouㄆㄡмоуmoumouㄇㄡфоуfoufouㄈㄡбуbupuㄅㄨпуpupʻuㄆㄨмуmumuㄇㄨфуfufuㄈㄨ мэmemêㄇㄜ бэйbeipeiㄅㄟпэйpeipʻeiㄆㄟмэйmeimeiㄇㄟфэйfeifeiㄈㄟбэнbengpêngㄅㄥпэнpengpʻêngㄆㄥмэнmengmêngㄇㄥфэнfengfêngㄈㄥбэньbenpênㄅㄣпэньpenpʻênㄆㄣмэньmenmênㄇㄣфэньfenfênㄈㄣ мюmiumiuㄇㄧㄡ бяньbianpienㄅㄧㄢпяньpianpʻienㄆㄧㄢмяньmianmienㄇㄧㄢ бяоbiaopiaoㄅㄧㄠпяоpiaopʻiaoㄆㄧㄠмяоmiaomiaoㄇㄧㄠфяоfiaofiaoㄈㄧㄠД / D Т / TН / N Л / LCyrillicPinyinWGMPSCyrillicPinyinWGMPSCyrillicPinyinWGMPSCyrillicPinyinWGMPSдаdataㄉㄚтаtatʻaㄊㄚнаnanaㄋㄚлаlalaㄌㄚдайdaitaiㄉㄞтайtaitʻaiㄊㄞнайnainaiㄋㄞлайlailaiㄌㄞданdangtangㄉㄤтанtangtʻangㄊㄤнанnangnangㄋㄤланlanglangㄌㄤданьdantanㄉㄢтаньtantʻanㄊㄢнаньnannanㄋㄢланьlanlanㄌㄢдаоdaotaoㄉㄠтаоtaotʻaoㄊㄠнаоnaonaoㄋㄠлаоlaolaoㄌㄠдеdietiehㄉㄧㄝтеtietʻiehㄊㄧㄝнеnieniehㄋㄧㄝлеlieliehㄌㄧㄝдиditiㄉㄧтиtitʻiㄊㄧниniniㄋㄧлиliliㄌㄧдинdingtingㄉㄧㄥтинtingtʻingㄊㄧㄥнинningningㄋㄧㄥлинlinglingㄌㄧㄥ ниньninninㄋㄧㄣлиньlinlinㄌㄧㄣдоduotoㄉㄨㄛтоtuotʻoㄊㄨㄛноnuonoㄋㄨㄛлоluo / loloㄌㄨㄛ / ㄌㄛдоуdoutouㄉㄡтоуtoutʻouㄊㄡноуnounouㄋㄡлоуloulouㄌㄡдуdutuㄉㄨтуtutʻuㄊㄨнуnunuㄋㄨлуluluㄌㄨдуаньduantuanㄉㄨㄢтуаньtuantʻuanㄊㄨㄢнуаньnuannuanㄋㄨㄢлуаньluanluanㄌㄨㄢдуйduituiㄉㄨㄟтуйtuitʻuiㄊㄨㄟ дунdongtungㄉㄨㄥтунtongtʻungㄊㄨㄥнунnongnungㄋㄨㄥлунlonglungㄌㄨㄥдуньduntunㄉㄨㄣтуньtuntʻunㄊㄨㄣ луньlunlunㄌㄨㄣдэdetêㄉㄜтэtetʻêㄊㄜнэnenêㄋㄜлэlelêㄌㄜдэйdeiteiㄉㄟ нэйneineiㄋㄟлэйleileiㄌㄟдэнdengtêngㄉㄥтэнtengtʻêngㄊㄥнэнnengnêngㄋㄥлэнlenglêngㄌㄥдэньdentênㄉㄣ нэньnennênㄋㄣ дюdiutiuㄉㄧㄡ нюniuniuㄋㄧㄡлюliuliuㄌㄧㄡ нюйnünüㄋㄩлюйlülüㄌㄩ нюэnüenüehㄋㄩㄝлюэlüelüehㄌㄩㄝдяdiatiaㄉㄧㄚ няnianiaㄋㄧㄚляlialiaㄌㄧㄚдянdiangtiangㄉㄧㄤ нянniangniangㄋㄧㄤлянliangliangㄌㄧㄤдяньdiantienㄉㄧㄢтяньtiantʻienㄊㄧㄢняньniannienㄋㄧㄢляньlianlienㄌㄧㄢдяоdiaotiaoㄉㄧㄠтяоtiaotʻiaoㄊㄧㄠняоniaoniaoㄋㄧㄠляоliaoliaoㄌㄧㄠГ / G К / KХ / HCyrillicPinyinWGMPSCyrillicPinyinWGMPSCyrillicPinyinWGMPSгаgakaㄍㄚкаkakʻaㄎㄚхаhahaㄏㄚгайgaikaiㄍㄞкайkaikʻaiㄎㄞхайhaihaiㄏㄞганgangkangㄍㄤканkangkʻangㄎㄤханhanghangㄏㄤганьgankanㄍㄢканьkankʻanㄎㄢханьhanhanㄏㄢгаоgaokaoㄍㄠкаоkaokʻaoㄎㄠхаоhaohaoㄏㄠ хмhmhmㄏㆬ хнгhnghngㄏㄯгоguokuoㄍㄨㄛкоkuokʻuoㄎㄨㄛхоhuohuoㄏㄨㄛгоуgoukouㄍㄡкоуkoukʻouㄎㄡхоуhouhouㄏㄡгуgukuㄍㄨкуkukʻuㄎㄨхуhuhuㄏㄨгуаguakuaㄍㄨㄚкуаkuakʻuaㄎㄨㄚхуаhuahuaㄏㄨㄚгуайguaikuaiㄍㄨㄞкуайkuaikʻuaiㄎㄨㄞхуайhuaihuaiㄏㄨㄞгуанguangkuangㄍㄨㄤкуанkuangkʻuangㄎㄨㄤхуанhuanghuangㄏㄨㄤгуаньguankuanㄍㄨㄢкуаньkuankʻuanㄎㄨㄢхуаньhuanhuanㄏㄨㄢгуйguikueiㄍㄨㄟкуйkuikʻueiㄎㄨㄟхунhonghungㄏㄨㄥгунgongkungㄍㄨㄥкунkongkʻungㄎㄨㄥхуньhunhunㄏㄨㄣгуньgunkunㄍㄨㄣкуньkunkʻunㄎㄨㄣхуэйhuihuiㄏㄨㄟгэgekoㄍㄜкэkekʻoㄎㄜхэhehoㄏㄜгэйgeikeiㄍㄟкэйkeikʻeiㄎㄟхэйheiheiㄏㄟгэнgengkêngㄍㄥкэнkengkʻêngㄎㄥхэнhenghêngㄏㄥгэньgenkênㄍㄣкэньkenkʻênㄎㄣхэньhenhênㄏㄣЦЗ / J Ц / QС / XCyrillicPinyinWGMPSCyrillicPinyinWGMPSCyrillicPinyinWGMPSцзеjiechiehㄐㄧㄝцеqiechʻiehㄑㄧㄝсеxiehsiehㄒㄧㄝцзиjichiㄐㄧциqichʻiㄑㄧсиxihsiㄒㄧцзинjingchingㄐㄧㄥцинqingchʻingㄑㄧㄥсинxinghsingㄒㄧㄥцзиньjinchinㄐㄧㄣциньqinchʻinㄑㄧㄣсиньxinhsinㄒㄧㄣцзюjiuchiuㄐㄧㄡцюqiuchʻiuㄑㄧㄡсюxiuhsiuㄒㄧㄡцзюаньjuanchüanㄐㄩㄢцюаньquanchʻüanㄑㄩㄢсюаньxuanhsüanㄒㄩㄢцзюйjuchüㄐㄩцюйquchʻüㄑㄩсюйxuhsüㄒㄩцзюнjiongchiungㄐㄩㄥцюнqiongchʻiungㄑㄩㄥсюнxionghsiungㄒㄩㄥцзюньjunchünㄐㄩㄣцюньqunchʻünㄑㄩㄣсюньxunhsünㄒㄩㄣцзюэjuechüehㄐㄩㄝцюэquechʻüehㄑㄩㄝсюэxuehsüehㄒㄩㄝцзяjiachiaㄐㄧㄚцяqiachʻiaㄑㄧㄚсяxiahsiaㄒㄧㄚцзянjiangchiangㄐㄧㄤцянqiangchʻiangㄑㄧㄤсянxianghsiangㄒㄧㄤцзяньjianchienㄐㄧㄢцяньqianchʻienㄑㄧㄢсяньxianhsienㄒㄧㄢцзяоjiaochiaoㄐㄧㄠцяоqiaochʻiaoㄑㄧㄠсяоxiaohsiaoㄒㄧㄠЧЖ / ZH Ч / CHШ / SH Ж / RCyrillicPinyinWGMPSCyrillicPinyinWGMPSCyrillicPinyinWGMPSCyrillicPinyinWGMPSчжаzhachaㄓㄚчаchachʻaㄔㄚшаshashaㄕㄚ чжайzhaichaiㄓㄞчайchaichʻaiㄔㄞшайshaishaiㄕㄞ чжанzhangchangㄓㄤчанchangchʻangㄔㄤшанshangshangㄕㄤжанrangjangㄖㄤчжаньzhanchanㄓㄢчаньchanchʻanㄔㄢшаньshanshanㄕㄢжаньranjanㄖㄢчжаоzhaochaoㄓㄠчаоchaochʻaoㄔㄠшаоshaoshaoㄕㄠжаоraojaoㄖㄠчжиzhichihㄓчиchichʻihㄔшиshishihㄕжиrijihㄖчжоzhuochoㄓㄨㄛчоchuochʻoㄔㄨㄛшоshuoshuoㄕㄨㄛжоruojoㄖㄨㄛчжоуzhouchouㄓㄡчоуchouchʻouㄔㄡшоуshoushouㄕㄡжоуroujouㄖㄡчжуzhuchuㄓㄨчуchuchʻuㄔㄨшуshushuㄕㄨжуrujuㄖㄨчжуаzhuachuaㄓㄨㄚчуаchuachʻuaㄔㄨㄚшуаshuashuaㄕㄨㄚжуаruajuaㄖㄨㄚчжуайzhuaichuaiㄓㄨㄞчуайchuaichʻuaiㄔㄨㄞшуайshuaishuaiㄕㄨㄞ чжуанzhuangchuangㄓㄨㄤчуанchuangchʻuangㄔㄨㄤшуанshuangshuangㄕㄨㄤ чжуаньzhuanchuanㄓㄨㄢчуаньchuanchʻuanㄔㄨㄢшуаньshuanshuanㄕㄨㄢжуаньruanjuanㄖㄨㄢчжуйzhuichuiㄓㄨㄟчуйchuichʻuiㄔㄨㄟшуйshuishuiㄕㄨㄟжуйruijuiㄖㄨㄟчжунzhongchungㄓㄨㄥчунchongchʻungㄔㄨㄥ жунrongjungㄖㄨㄥчжуньzhunchunㄓㄨㄣчуньchunchʻunㄔㄨㄣшуньshunshunㄕㄨㄣжуньrunjunㄖㄨㄣчжэzhechêㄓㄜчэchechʻêㄔㄜшэsheshêㄕㄜжэrejêㄖㄜчжэйzheicheiㄓㄟ шэйsheisheiㄕㄟ чжэнzhengchêngㄓㄥчэнchengchʻêngㄔㄥшэнshengshêngㄕㄥжэнrengjêngㄖㄥчжэньzhenchênㄓㄣчэньchenchʻênㄔㄣшэньshenshênㄕㄣжэньrenjênㄖㄣЦЗ / Z Ц / CС / SCyrillicPinyinWGMPSCyrillicPinyinWGMPSCyrillicPinyinWGMPSцзаzatsaㄗㄚцаcatsʻaㄘㄚсаsasaㄙㄚцзайzaitsaiㄗㄞцайcaitsʻaiㄘㄞсайsaisaiㄙㄞцзанzangtsangㄗㄤцанcangtsʻangㄘㄤсанsangsangㄙㄤцзаньzantsanㄗㄢцаньcantsʻanㄘㄢсаньsansanㄙㄢцзаоzaotsaoㄗㄠцаоcaotsʻaoㄘㄠсаоsaosaoㄙㄠцзоzuotsoㄗㄨㄛцоcuotsʻoㄘㄨㄛсоsuosoㄙㄨㄛцзоуzoutsouㄗㄡцоуcoutsʻouㄘㄡсоуsousouㄙㄡцзуzutsuㄗㄨцуcutsʻuㄘㄨсуsusuㄙㄨцзуаньzuantsuanㄗㄨㄢцуаньcuantsʻuanㄘㄨㄢсуаньsuansuanㄙㄨㄢцзуйzuitsuiㄗㄨㄟцуйcuitsʻuiㄘㄨㄟсуйsuisuiㄙㄨㄟцзунzongtsungㄗㄨㄥцунcongtsʻungㄘㄨㄥсунsongsungㄙㄨㄥцзуньzuntsunㄗㄨㄣцуньcuntsʻunㄘㄨㄣсуньsunsunㄙㄨㄣцзыzitzŭㄗцыcitzʻŭㄘсыsissŭㄙцзэzetsêㄗㄜцэcetsʻêㄘㄜсэsesêㄙㄜцзэйzeitseiㄗㄟ цзэнzengtsêngㄗㄥцэнcengtsʻêngㄘㄥсэнsengsêngㄙㄥцзэньzentsênㄗㄣцэньcentsʻênㄘㄣсэньsensênㄙㄣOthersCyrillicPinyinWGMPSCyrillicPinyinWGMPSCyrillicPinyinWGMPSCyrillicPinyinWGMPSаaaㄚвэнwengwêngㄨㄥоooㄛюаньyuanyüanㄩㄢайaiaiㄞвэньwenwênㄨㄣоуououㄡюйyuyüㄩанangangㄤеyeyehㄧㄝуwuwuㄨюнyongyungㄩㄥаньananㄢёyoyoㄧㄛэeê / oㄜюньyunyünㄩㄣаоaoaoㄠиyii / yiㄧэ̂êehㄝюэyueyüehㄩㄝваwawaㄨㄚинyingyingㄧㄥэйeieiㄟяyayaㄧㄚвайwaiwaiㄨㄞиньyinyinㄧㄣэнengêngㄥяйyaiyaiㄧㄞванwangwangㄨㄤмmmㆬэньenênㄣянyangyangㄧㄤваньwanwanㄨㄢнnnㄯэрerêrhㄦяньyanyenㄧㄢвоwowoㄨㄛнгngngㆭюyouyuㄧㄡяоyaoyaoㄧㄠвэйweiweiㄨㄟ
Note that the Palladius system does not distinguish between pinyin luo (as in , ) and the rare syllable lo (as in , ); both are written ло.
Exceptions The names of the cities of Beijing and Nanjing are transcribed as (instead of ) and (instead of ), much as Peking and Nanking were still used in English-speaking countries until recently. Hong Kong () may be both () and (Hong Kong); the latter is more common.
In Russian borrowings from Chinese (such as place names), the syllable () is generally transcribed as (Huizu, ) or occasionally (Anhui, ); this is because is a taboo word for "penis" in Russian and several other Slavic languages. Dictionaries, however, may contain the unaltered spelling; as is found in Palladius' own dictionary from 1888, and Oshanin's Great Chinese–Russian Dictionary.
Older documents contain variants мэн — мын, мэнь — мынь, фэн — фын, фэнь — фынь, пэн — пын, hence Aomen (Macao) is traditionally spelled in Russian. Most modern texts contain э, with some exceptions.
Pre-reform version Prior to the reform of Russian orthography in 1918, the system differed in a few respects, as can be seen in Palladius's 1888 dictionary: ъ was used at the end of a word ending in a consonant, as was standard in pre-reform orthography. е → ѣ ё → іо эр → эрръ -юэ → -юе мэн, мэнь and фэн were written мынъ, мынь and фынъ, respectively; this did not affect фэнь, however.
Ukrainian system Initials BilabialLabiodentalAlveolarRetroflexAlveolo-palatalVelarVoicelessVoicedVoicelessVoicelessVoicedVoicelessVoicedVoicelessVoicelessNasal м [m]m ㄇ m н [n]n ㄋ n PlosiveUnaspiratedб [p]p ㄅ b д [t]t ㄉ d ґ [k]k ㄍ gAspiratedп [pʰ]p' ㄆ p т [tʰ]t' ㄊ t к [kʰ]k' ㄎ kAffricateUnaspirated цз [ts]ts ㄗ zчж [ʈʂ]ch ㄓ zhцз [tɕ]ch ㄐ jAspirated ц [tsʰ]ts' ㄘ cч [ʈʂʰ]ch' ㄔ chц [tɕʰ]ch' ㄑ qFricative ф [f]f ㄈ fс [s]s ㄙ sш [ʂ]sh ㄕ shж [ʐ]j ㄖ rс [ɕ]hs ㄒ xх [x]h ㄏ hLateral л [l]l ㄌ l
Finals Nucleusaə∅Coda∅iunŋ∅iunŋɻMedial∅a [a]ㄚ aай [ai̯]ai ㄞ aiao [au̯]ao ㄠ aoань [an]an ㄢ anан [aŋ]ang ㄤ angе [ɤ]ê/o ㄜ eей [ei̯]ei ㄟ eiоу [ou̯]ou ㄡ ouень [ən]ên ㄣ enен [əŋ]êng ㄥ engер [aɚ̯]êrh ㄦ erі/и [ʅ/ɿ]ih/ŭ -iiя [i̯a]ia ㄧㄚ ia яо [i̯au̯]iao ㄧㄠ iaoянь [i̯ɛn]ien ㄧㄢ ianян [i̯aŋ]iang ㄧㄤ iangє [i̯e]ieh ㄧㄝ ie ю [i̯ou̯]iu ㄧㄡ iuїнь [in]in ㄧㄣ inїн [iŋ]ing ㄧㄥ ing ї [i]i ㄧ iuуа [u̯a]ua ㄨㄚ uaуай [u̯ai̯]uai ㄨㄞ uaiуань [u̯an]uan ㄨㄢ uanуан [u̯aŋ]uang ㄨㄤ uangо [u̯o]o/uo ㄨㄛ uoуй [u̯ei̯]ui ㄨㄟ uiунь [u̯ən]un ㄨㄣ unун [ʊŋ]ung ㄨㄥ ong у [u]u ㄨ uy юань [y̯ɛn]üan ㄩㄢ üan юе [y̯e]üeh ㄩㄝ üe юнь [yn]ün ㄩㄣ ünюн [i̯ʊŋ]iung ㄩㄥ iong юй [y]ü ㄩ ü
In composites, coda ng is transcribed н' when the following syllable starts with a vowel. For example, the names of the cities of Chang'an and Hengyang are transcribed as Чан'ань and Хен'ян.
In syllables with no initial, w is transcribed as в in all cases except wu, transcribed as у. For example, the names of the cities of Wuwei and Wanning are transcribed as Увей and Ваньнін.
Comparison chart This table establishes correspondence between the Ukrainian Palladius system together with the two Romanization systems most commonly used in English-speaking countries: Pinyin and Wade–Giles.