The following video demonstrates each syllable of the pinyin structure
and the exercise of pinyin/zhuyin with basic Chinese 4-tune pronunciation

Mandarin pinyin tunes
Click the framed calligraphic Chinese symbol icons
to link more related multi-character Chinese words!

jiān, jián, jiǎn, jiàn

first tune

jiān

pointed; tapering 尖 jiān

sharp-pointed incisive; keen; acute 尖銳 jiān ruì
pointed; tapering 尖 jiān	sharp; acute; keen 銳 ruì

shoulder 肩 jiān

shoulder 肩膀 jiān bǎng
shoulder 肩 jiān	upper arm 膀 bǎng

sturdy; solid and firm unwavering strong and durable 堅 jiān

strong; staunch 堅強 jiān qiáng
sturdy; strong 堅 jiān	strong; powerful 強 qiáng

unwavering; resolute 堅定 jiān dìng
unwavering 堅 jiān	stable; calm 定 dìng

pan-fry fry in a pan in shallow fat 煎 jiān

fry eggs fried eggs 煎蛋 jiān dàn
pan-fry 煎 jiān	egg 蛋 dàn

supervise; oversee imprison; jail; prison 監 jiān

monitor; oversee 監視 jiān shì
supervise; oversee 監 jiān	see; view 視 shì

prison; jail 監獄 jiān yù
jail 監 jiān	prison 獄 yù

among; between 間 jiān

centre; middle 中間 zhōng jiān
center 中 zhōng	among; between 間 jiān

difficult; laborious; toilsome 艱 jiān

hard; difficult 艱難 jiān nán
difficult 艱 jiān	hard 難 nán

Chinese characters also pronunced jiān

third tune

jiǎn

simple; brief 簡 jiǎn

simple; uncomplicated 簡單 jiǎn dān
simple; brief 簡 jiǎn	singly; simple 單 dān

subtract; decrease lessen; reduce 減 jiǎn

add and subtract 加減 jiā jiǎn
add 加 jiā	subtract 減 jiǎn

reduce; decrease; lessen 減少 jiǎn shǎo
lessen; reduce 減 jiǎn	less 少 shǎo

scissors; shears; clippers cut with scissors 剪 jiǎn

scissors 剪刀 jiǎn dāo
cut with scissors 剪 jiǎn	knife 刀 dāo

pick up collect; gather 撿 jiǎn

frugal; thrifty 儉 jiǎn

frugal; scrimp and save economical (of lifestyle) 節儉 jié jiǎn
control; restrict 節 jié	frugal; thrifty 儉 jiǎn

check; examine; inspect 檢 jiǎn

inspect; check; examine 檢查 jiǎn chá
check; inspect 檢 jiǎn	check; investigate 查 chá

Chinese characters also pronunced jiǎn

fourth tune

jiàn

see; meet 見 jiàn

meet; come face to face 見面 jiàn miàn
see; meet 見 jiàn	face 面 miàn

sword 劍 jiàn

arrow 箭 jiàn

establish build; construct 建 jiàn

establish; build up 建立 jiàn lì
establish 建 jiàn	set up 立 lì

healthy 健 jiàn

health; healthy 健康 jiàn kāng
healthy 健 jiàn	health 康 kāng

key of piano, keyboard 鍵 jiàn

keyboard 鍵盤 jiàn pán
key 鍵 jiàn	tray; plate 盤 pán

key point; key factor crucial importance 關鍵 guān jiàn
a pass, barrier 關 guān	key 鍵 jiàn

gradually; progressively 漸 jiàn

gradual enlightenment realize the Zen gradually 漸悟 jiàn wù
gradually 漸 jiàn	enlighten 悟 wù

getting better and better gradually entering blissful circumstances 漸入佳境 jiàn rù jiā jìng
gradually 漸 jiàn	enter 入 rù	good 佳 jiā	state 境 jìng

Chinese characters also pronunced jiàn