Cantonese finals can comprise vowels and codas. They can be categorized by coda into 9 sets:
| /-Ø/ | /-i/ | /-u/ | /-m/ | /-n/ | /-ng/ | /-p/ | /-t/ | /-k/ |
Since the codas /-m -p -t -k/ are not found in Putonghua, beginners would merge /-m/ finals into /-n/ finals and merge /-p -t -k/ finals into /-Ø/。
There are 56 meaningful vowel-coda combinations, or finals. Together with the two syllabic nasals /m ng/, the total number of Cantonese finals is 58:
Note: The five italicised finals (/-eu -em -en -ep -et/) only occur in speech.
Compared to initials, the difference between the finals of Cantonese and Putonghua can be great. When learning Cantonese, we need to grasp the characteristics of Cantonese finals and Jyutping.
Click on the links below to learn about the different sets of Cantonese initials, now arranged by vowel:
2.1 /-aa-/
2.2 /-a-/
2.3 /-e-/
2.4 /-oe-/
2.5 /-eo-/
2.6 /-o-/
2.7 /-i-/
2.8 /-u-/
2.9 /-yu-/