Last Updated on August 6, 2017
[lastupdated]
The Wade-Giles system of Romanization is much older system than Pinyin. In fact, it was completed as a system in 1892. Pinyin, on the other hand, is much younger having been developed in the 1950’s. Many old places in China have kept their Wade-Giles spelling. Examples are Peking University (one of Mainland China’s top universities), Tsingtao Beer (Mainland China’s most famous beer), and many more. In Taiwan, many places still use Wade-Giles Romanization especially in people’s surnames. Taipei (臺北), the capital of Taiwan, uses Wade-Giles for its romanization, instead of Taibei, which would be the Pinyin romanization of that name. This article includes a Wade-Giles To Pinyin Conversion Table.
Below is a picture of Tsingtao Beer.
Image via Wikipedia
A Few Quick Notes About Wade-Giles System of Romanization
The proper use of Wade-Giles uses diacritics, including ê, û, and ü. But, if you know the Pinyin pronunciation, you should be able to figure out the Wade-Giles pronunciation. In addition, proper Wade-Giles use uses apostrophes. Apostrophes are critical with the Wade-Giles system. For example, tao in Wade-Giles corresponds to dao in Pinyin, and t’ao in Wade-Giles corresponds to tao in Pinyin. If you ignore or just arbitrarily drop apostrophes, you may lose meaning and create lots of mistakes.
In my opinion, Wade-Giles is a more precise Romanization system than Pinyin. For example, if there is a ü sound, the ü is always explicity spelled out in Wade-Giles unlike in Pinyin, where examples like qu, ju, and yu leave out the ü, but they actually have a u umlaut sound.
How This Wade-Giles To Pinyin Table Is Sorted
This table is sorted alphabetically by Wade-Giles spelling. But, it is a little more nuanced than that. Within each letter you are searching, if there are words with apostrophes, they will come after all other words without apostrophes. For example, cha is different than ch’a, and ch’a actually will come after chün, since it is the last word without an apostrophe within the C category. Other than that, searching should be self-explanatory.
Final Notes
If there are alternate spellings in Wade-Giles, such as i and yi, which both describe the same sound, I will put one in parentheses to indicate that it is an alternate spelling.
| Wade-Giles | Pinyin |
| A | |
| a | a |
| ai | ai |
| an | an |
| ang | ang |
| ao | ao |
| Wade-Giles | Pinyin |
| C | |
| cha | zha |
| chai | zhai |
| chan | zhan |
| chang | zhang |
| chao | zhao |
| che | zhe |
| chei | zhei |
| chen | zhen |
| chêng | zheng |
| chi | ji |
| chia | jia |
| chiang | jiang |
| chiao | jiao |
| chieh | jie |
| chien | jian |
| chih | zhi |
| chin | jin |
| ching | jing |
| chiu | jiu |
| chiung | jiong |
| cho | zhuo |
| chou | zhou |
| chu | zhu |
| chua | zhua |
| chuai | zhuai |
| chuan | zhuan |
| chuang | zhuang |
| chui | zhui |
| chun | zhun |
| chung | zhong |
| chü | ju |
| chüan | juan |
| chüeh | jue |
| chün | jun |
| ch’a | cha |
| ch’ai | chai |
| ch’an | chan |
| ch’ang | chang |
| ch’ao | chao |
| ch’ê | che |
| ch’ên | chen |
| ch’êng | cheng |
| chêng | zheng |
| chên | zhen |
| ch’i | qi |
| ch’ia | qia |
| ch’iang | qiang |
| ch‘iao | qiao |
| ch’ieh | qie |
| ch’ien | qian |
| ch’ih | chi |
| ch’in | qin |
| ch’ing | qing |
| ch’iu | qiu |
| ch’iung | qiong |
| ch’o | chuo |
| ch’ou | chou |
| ch’u | chu |
| ch’ua | chua |
| ch’uai | chuai |
| ch’uan | chuan |
| ch’uang | chuang |
| ch’ui | chui |
| ch’un | chun |
| ch’ung | chong |
| ch’ü | qu |
| ch’üan | quan |
| ch’üeh | que |
| ch’ün | qun |
| Wade-Giles | Pinyin |
| E | |
| e (o) | e |
| en | en |
| eng | eng |
| êrh | er |
| Wade-Giles | Pinyin |
| F | |
| fa | fa |
| fan | fan |
| fang | fang |
| fei | fei |
| fên | fen |
| fêng | feng |
| fo | fo |
| fou | fou |
| fu | fu |
| Wade-Giles | Pinyin |
| H | |
| ha | ha |
| hai | hai |
| han | han |
| hang | hang |
| hao | hao |
| hei | hei |
| hên | hen |
| heng | heng |
| ho | he |
| hou | hou |
| hsi | xi |
| hsia | xia |
| hsiang | xiang |
| hsiao | xiao |
| hsieh | xie |
| hsien | xian |
| hsin | xia |
| hsin | xin |
| hsing | |
| hsiu | xiu |
| hsiung | xiong |
| hsü | xu |
| hsüan | xuan |
| hsüeh | xue |
| hsün | xun |
| hu | hu |
| hua | hua |
| huai | huai |
| huan | huan |
| huang | huang |
| hui | hui |
| hun | hun |
| hung | hong |
| huo | huo |
| Wade-Giles | Pinyin |
| I | |
| i (yi) | yi |
| Wade-Giles | Pinyin |
| J | |
| jan | rang |
| jang | rang |
| jao | rao |
| jê | re |
| jên | ren |
| jêng | reng |
| jih | ri |
| jo | ruo |
| jou | rou |
| ju | ru |
| juan | ruan |
| jui | rui |
| jun | run |
| jung | rong |
| Wade-Giles | Pinyin |
| K | |
| ka | ga |
| kai | gai |
| kan | gan |
| kang | gang |
| kao | gao |
| ke (ko) | ge |
| kei | gei |
| kên | gen |
| kêng | geng |
| ko (ke) | ge |
| kou | gou |
| ku | gu |
| kua | gua |
| kuai | guai |
| kuan | guan |
| kuang | guang |
| kuei | gui |
| kun | gun |
| kung | gong |
| kuo | guo |
| k’a | ka |
| k’ai | kai |
| k’an | kan |
| k’ang | kang |
| k’ao | kao |
| k’e (k’o) | ke |
| k’ên | ken |
| k’êng | keng |
| k’o (k’e) | ke |
| k’ou | kou |
| k’u | ku |
| k’ua | kua |
| k’uai | kuai |
| k’uan | kuan |
| k’uang | kuang |
| k’uei | kui |
| k’un | kun |
| k’ung | kong |
| k’uo | kuo |
| Wade-Giles | Pinyin |
| L | |
| la | la |
| lai | lai |
| lan | lan |
| lang | lang |
| lao | lao |
| le | le |
| lei | lei |
| leng | leng |
| li | li |
| lia | lia |
| liang | liang |
| liao | liao |
| lieh | lie |
| lien | lian |
| lin | lin |
| ling | ling |
| liu | liu |
| lo | luo |
| lou | lou |
| lu | lu |
| luan | luan |
| lun | lun |
| lung | long |
| lü | lü |
| lüeh | lüe |
| lün | lün |
| Wade-Giles | Pinyin |
| M | |
| ma | ma |
| mai | mai |
| man | man |
| mang | mang |
| mao | mao |
| mei | mei |
| mên | men |
| mêng | meng |
| mi | mi |
| miao | miao |
| mieh | mie |
| mien | mian |
| min | min |
| ming | ming |
| miu | miu |
| mo | mo |
| mou | mou |
| mu | mu |
| Wade-Giles | Pinyin |
| N | |
| na | na |
| nai | nai |
| nan | nan |
| nang | nang |
| nao | nao |
| nei | nei |
| nên | nen |
| nêng | neng |
| ni | ni |
| niang | niang |
| niao | niao |
| nieh | nie |
| nien | nian |
| nin | nin |
| ning | ning |
| niu | niu |
| no | nuo |
| nou | nou |
| nu | nu |
| nuan | nuan |
| nun | nun |
| nung | nong |
| nü | nü |
| nüeh | nüe |
| Wade-Giles | Pinyin |
| O | |
| o (e) | e |
| ou | ou |
| Wade-Giles | Pinyin |
| P | |
| pa | ba |
| pai | bai |
| pan | ban |
| pang | bang |
| pao | bao |
| pei | bei |
| pên | ben |
| pêng | beng |
| pi | bi |
| piao | biao |
| pieh | bie |
| pien | bian |
| pin | bin |
| ping | bing |
| po | bo |
| pu | bu |
| p’a | pa |
| p’ai | pai |
| p’an | pan |
| p’ang | pang |
| p’ei | pei |
| p’ên | peng |
| p’êng | peng |
| p’i | pi |
| p’iao | piao |
| p’ieh | pie |
| p’ien | pian |
| p’in | pin |
| p’ing | ping |
| p’o | po |
| p’ou | pou |
| p’u | pu |
| Wade-Giles | Pinyin |
| S | |
| sa | sa |
| sai | sai |
| san | san |
| sang | sang |
| sao | sao |
| sê | se |
| sên | sen |
| sêng | seng |
| sha | sha |
| shai | shai |
| shao | shao |
| shan | shan |
| shang | shang |
| shê | she |
| shei | shei |
| shên | shen |
| shêng | sheng |
| shih | shi |
| shou | shou |
| shua | shua |
| shuai | shuai |
| shuan | shuan |
| shuang | shuang |
| shui | shui |
| shu | shu |
| shun | shun |
| shuo | shuo |
| so | suo |
| sou | sou |
| ssû (szu) | si |
| su | su |
| suan | suan |
| sui | sui |
| sun | sun |
| sung | song |
| Szu (ssû) | si |
| Wade-Giles | Pinyin |
| T | |
| ta | da |
| tai | dai |
| tan | dan |
| tang | dang |
| tao | dao |
| te | de |
| tei | dei |
| têng | deng |
| ti | di |
| tiao | diao |
| tieh | die |
| tien | dian |
| ting | ding |
| tiu | diu |
| to | duo |
| tou | dou |
| tsa | za |
| tsai | zai |
| tsan | zan |
| tsang | zang |
| tsao | zao |
| tsê | ze |
| tsei | zei |
| tsên | zen |
| tsêng | zeng |
| tso | zuo |
| tsou | zou |
| tsu | zu |
| tsuan | zuan |
| tsui | zui |
| tsun | zun |
| tsung | zong |
| tu | du |
| tuan | duan |
| tui | dui |
| tun | dun |
| tung | dong |
| t’a | ta |
| t’ai | tai |
| t’an | tan |
| t’ang | tang |
| t’ao | tao |
| t’e | te |
| t’êng | teng |
| t’i | ti |
| t’iao | tiao |
| t’ieh | tie |
| t’ien | tian |
| t’ing | ting |
| t’o | tuo |
| t’ou | tou |
| ts’a | ca |
| ts’ai | cai |
| ts’an | can |
| ts’ang | cang |
| ts’ao | cao |
| ts’ê | ce |
| ts’ên | cen |
| ts’êng | ceng |
| ts’o | cuo |
| ts’ou | cou |
| ts’u | cu |
| ts’uan | cuan |
| ts’ui | cui |
| ts’un | cun |
| ts’ung | cong |
| t’ui | tui |
| t’u | tu |
| t’uan | tuan |
| t’un | tun |
| t’ung | tong |
| tz’u (or tzû or (tz’u) | zi |
| Wade-Giles | Pinyin |
| W | |
| wa | wa |
| wai | wai |
| wan | wan |
| wang | wang |
| wei | wei |
| wên | wen |
| wêng | weng |
| wo | wo |
| wu | wu |
| Wade-Giles | Pinyin |
| Y | |
| ya | ya |
| yai | yai |
| yang | yang |
| yao | yao |
| yeh | ye |
| yen | yan |
| yi (I) | yi |
| yin | yin |
| ying | ying |
| yu | you |
| yung | yong |
| yü | yu |
| yüan | yuan |
| yüeh | yue |
| yün | yun |
Interested in seeing a Pinyin To Wade-Giles Conversion table? See that here. Do you have anything to add to this article? Let’s discuss it in the comments below.
Do you know of a list that cross references (for instance) a name spelled in Wade-Giles with it’s pinyin counterpart, i.e., Qin – Ch’in?
My studies have all been in pinyin but I need to read older books that used Wade-Giles. It would seem to me that someone, somewhere has put together such a list, after all there are what, 157 Emperors. But it would be nice to have a list that cross-referenced all the common historical persons’ names, geographical names, towns, cities, provinces, etc.
Would you be kind enough to email me any info you have?
Thank you for your input.
Mark Prather
Hi. Thanks for the comment. I just did a bit of research on your questions. There may exist such lists comparing Wade-Giles with Pinyin for names, but I think they are hard to find. archive.org is a great resource to search for Chinese texts. If you are interested in linugistics, the following link compares Wade-Giles, Pinyin, IPA, and more near the end. https://archive.org/details/ERIC_ED379932/page/n14
Additionally, the following link I think is quite good. https://archive.org/details/DTIC_ADA040795/page/n2
Above is a dictionary that starts out with a Wade-Giles section, and ends with a Pinyin section. It shows most sounds, and then shows characters that have that sounds. So, the characters should be exactly the same for each part of the dictionary between Wade-Giles and Pinyin, just the transliteration (Wade-Giles vs Pinyin) is different. Good luck with your searching.
Thank you for your kind help.
I am looking for a simple book cross-refencing Wade-Giles with Pinyin. I’m too old to learn both systems. I started my journey with pinyin, as it is the modern standard. I wonder if when the change was made from W-G to Pinyin if books were printed to smooth the transition to the then new standard Pinyin.
If I could find a book listing both versions with proper names, toponyms, and commonly encountered words used in historiography I would be thrilled.
Thanks!
Mark
I’m not sure if such a book, but you could also come back to my site. Maybe bookmark it.
I don’t think it’s right to say that Peking university is named Peking university because old places in China keep their Wade-Giles spelling. As far as I know, ‘Peking’ is an example of an established transliteration that had been in use long before Wade-Giles was invented. Peking is named Peking was because from the early days of European contact it was necessary for major settlements to have an agreed international name, so many places were given ‘Post Office’ spellings as accepted by the Chinese Postal Service and these names show little uniformity. It’s just my personal opinion, if you don’t feel something is wrong, corrections are more than welcome!🙂