All words ›Baozi
FoodHow to pronounce “Baozi”
包子bāo zi
Literally: steamed stuffed bun.
❌ What English speakers usually say
“bow-ZEE”
✅ What to say instead
BOW-dz — the second syllable is neutral and has almost no vowel
The shape of the word
Tap any syllable to hear it. The curve above each one is the tone you are aiming for.
Syllable by syllable
| Syllable | Tone | Practise it |
|---|---|---|
| 包 bāo | First tone — high and flat | bao — open drill → |
| 子 zi | Neutral tone — short and weightless | zi — open drill → |
Questions people ask
How do you pronounce Baozi?
Baozi is 包子, bāo zi — BOW-dz — the second syllable is neutral and has almost no vowel. Literally it means steamed stuffed bun.
What is the most common mistake with Baozi?
“bow-ZEE”
More words people mispronounce
Sichuan四川 sì chuānXiaolongbao小笼包 xiǎo lóng bāoMapo tofu麻婆豆腐 má pó dòu fuKung pao chicken宫保鸡丁 gōng bǎo jī dīng
Can you actually say it?
Reading a respelling is not the same as producing the tones. The free 2-minute check listens to you and shows which syllables land wrong.