<!--
{
  "documentType" : "article",
  "framework" : "SiriKit",
  "identifier" : "/documentation/SiriKit/localizing-your-vocabulary-for-chinese-dialects",
  "metadataVersion" : "0.1.0",
  "role" : "article",
  "title" : "Localizing Your Vocabulary for Chinese Dialects"
}
-->

# Localizing Your Vocabulary for Chinese Dialects

Apply emphasis markers to your pronunciation tips to assist Siri with Chinese dialects.

## Discussion

For specific localizations, additional rules apply when specify values for the `VocabularyItemPronunciation` key:

- zh_CN: China Mandarin localization:
- Tones are represented using the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Use the number 5 for the neutral tone. Place tones at the end of the Pinyin representation of each character. For example, `ping2 guo3`.
- You can replace the special character `ü` in Pinyin with `yu`. For example, `nü` would become `nyu`.
- zh_TW: Taiwan Mandarin localization:
- Tones are represented using the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Use the number 5 for the neutral tone. Place tones at the end of the Pinyin representation of each character. For example, 蘇打綠 becomes `su1 da3 lyu4`.
- zh_HK: Hong Kong Cantonese localization:
- Use the Jyutping 粤语拼音 (粤拼) romanization system for Cantonese.
- Tones are represented using the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Place tone numbers at the end of the Jyutping. For example, 的士 becomes `dik1 si2`, and 短訊 becomes `dyun2 seon2`.

---

Copyright &copy; 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)