All pinyin syllables ›fei
Pinyin syllableHow to pronounce “fei” in Chinese
fei = f + ei,[feɪ].Used in 3 tones and 13 words from HSK 1–3.
Hear it, then say it
Tap play for each tone, then record yourself — your pitch curve is drawn on top of the model.
非常fēi cháng — very; really
Hold one steady high note, like a doctor’s “aaah”. English has no flat pitch, so it will feel unnaturally robotic — that is correct.
— model— your pitch· Shape, not score. Scoring lives in the app.
This tone exists, but no HSK 1–3 word uses it yet — practise the sound on its own.
Rise from the middle to the top, like the English question “huh?”. The rise must reach the top, not stall halfway.
— model— your pitch· Shape, not score. Scoring lives in the app.
费用fèi yòng — cost
Start at the top and drop fast, like a firm “No!”. Short and decisive.
— model— your pitch· Shape, not score. Scoring lives in the app.
Same sounds, different word
These words are built from the exact same consonant and vowel. Only the tone tells them apart — which is why tones are not decoration.
to fly
First tone — high and flat
to cost
Fourth tone — sharp fall
The initial: f
[f]
- What the mouth does
- Upper teeth on lower lip, air pushed through.
- Closest English sound
- The f in “fan”, no adjustment needed.
- Where learners slip
- Some learners over-round the lips because of the -o that often follows (fo, fou).
- Drill that fixes it
- Keep the teeth-on-lip contact, and let the rounding start only when the vowel does.
The final: -ei
[eɪ]
- What the mouth does
- Starts on a mid-front e and glides to i.
- Closest English sound
- The ay in “say”.
- Where learners slip
- Confusing it with the standalone e final, which is a totally different vowel.
- Drill that fixes it
- Remember: e alone = “uhh”, ei = “ay”. The i changes everything.
“fei” in real words
Every word below comes from the HSK 1–3 vocabulary, so you can practise on words you will actually meet.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | HSK |
|---|---|---|---|
| fēi | to fly | 1 | |
| fēi cháng | very; really | 1 | |
| fēi jī | airplane | 1 | |
| qǐ fēi | (of an aircraft) to take off | 2 | |
| fēi xíng | (of planes etc) to fly | 3 | |
| kā fēi | coffee (loanword) | 3 | |
| fèi | to cost | 3 | |
| fèi yòng | cost | 3 | |
| làng fèi | to waste | 3 | |
| shōu fèi | to charge a fee | 3 | |
| xiāo fèi | to consume | 3 | |
| xué fèi | tuition fee | 3 | |
| jiāo fèi | to pay a fee | 3 |
Syllables you might confuse with this one
One sound apart from this syllable — the pairs that make natives mishear you.
Questions people ask about this syllable
How do you pronounce “fei” in Chinese?
“fei” is the initial f plus the final ei, pronounced [feɪ]. Upper teeth on lower lip, air pushed through. Starts on a mid-front e and glides to i. It occurs in 3 tones, and the tone changes the word completely.
What does “fei” mean in Chinese?
It depends entirely on the tone. fēi 飞 — to fly; fèi 费 — to cost.
Which mistake do English speakers make on “fei”?
Some learners over-round the lips because of the -o that often follows (fo, fou). Confusing it with the standalone e final, which is a totally different vowel. Fix it like this: Keep the teeth-on-lip contact, and let the rounding start only when the vowel does.
The other half is producing it so a native hears the right tone. The free 2-minute check tells you which syllables are actually your weak ones.