XI-3

('xi' in the third tone)

There are some 133 standard Chinese characters that have a 'xi' pronunciation. Major sound-indicating components of more complicated characters that can be pronounced 'xi' are: 西 (9 occurences), 息 (6), 喜 (9)

It's one of the strange rules of Pinyin that the initial letter 'x' is pronounced the same way as the initial combination 'sh'. But 'x' is used instead of 'sh' when the subsequent 'i' is pronouced like any of the 'i' in India, while the 'i' after 'sh' is pronounced like the 'i' in girl， or the 'u' in 'church, or the 'e' in 'her'.

洗 = xi(3) = to wash (while most Chinese verbs use two characters in everyday language, this is a common single-character verb)

洗澡 = xi(3)zao(3) = take a bath

Please note: when two third tones follow each other, the first of the two is spoken as a second tone. However, in Pinyin  with tone marks, tone mark changes are often not indicated, as this would make it difficult to identify the meaning of the respective Pinyin word. One just has to remember that if there are two third tones in a row, the first is spoken as a second tone.  

冲洗 = chong(1)xi(3) = to flush

Sign in train toilets:

请放水冲洗 = Qing(3) fang(4) shui(3) chong(1) xi(3)! = Please flush! (Lit. Please release water flush!)

*****

喜 = xi(3) = to like; but always used as two-character form:

喜欢 = xi(3)huan(-) = to like

Not to be confused with:

习惯 = xi(2)guan(2) = to be accustomed with

Click on the sample sentence below to hear it spoken:

刚开始我不喜欢他, 后来我喜欢他. = Gang(1) kai(1)shi(3) wo(3) bu(4) xi(3)huan(-) ta(1), hou(4)lai(2) wo(3) xi(3)huan(-) ta(1). = Before I did not like him, (but) afterwards I liked him.