/ʊ/as in book
You likely pronounce the vowel in 'book' or 'put' with the same strongly rounded, tense vowel you use for Mandarin u, because Mandarin doesn't have a separate, looser version of this sound at the back of the mouth.
What you probably do
You likely pronounce the vowel in 'book' or 'put' with the same strongly rounded, tense vowel you use for Mandarin u, because Mandarin doesn't have a separate, looser version of this sound at the back of the mouth.
How natives do it
Americans round the lips only lightly, much less than for the long 'oo' sound, and keep the tongue relaxed in a high-back position without pushing it all the way up, producing the short vowel in 'book' and 'put'.
Why it matters
Because this sound doesn't exist as a separate category in Mandarin, over-rounding and tensing it can make 'book' sound like 'boot' or 'full' like 'fool' to native listeners. Practicing a lighter, more relaxed lip and tongue position for this vowel will make these common words much clearer.
Hear the difference
Words this touches
Mandarin Chinese speakers often substitute /u/.
How the mouth differs
Mandarin has no lax, near-high back vowel; its only high back vowel is the tense, strongly rounded u. Learners substitute this tense Mandarin u for English ʊ, over-rounding the lips and raising the tongue higher than the shorter, looser target vowel requires.
Listen for the pattern
Over-rounding and tensing this vowel regularly causes English listeners to hear 'book' as closer to 'boot' or 'full' as closer to 'fool', since the tense-lax contrast is meaning-bearing in English.
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Sources (1)
- Duanmu, S. (2007). The Phonology of Standard Chinese. Oxford University Press.