Bouyei phonology

Consonants
The Bouyei script recognizes 32 consonants, with names formed by the consonant in an initial position followed by a long "a" vowel.

Pink: p, t, k, q, z, and c are used only to write Chinese loanwords.

Beige: sl and hr are used for sounds that occur only in certain dialects.

V is pronounced as a "w" before a "u".

Vowels and diphthongs
Bouyei has 77 vowels and diphthongs.

The endings er [ɚ], ao [au], ou [əu], ia [ia], io [io], iao [iau], ua [ua], uai [uai], and ui [uəi] are used in writing Chinese loanwords.

Tones
Bouyei has six tones, corresponding to the eight sheng of Middle Chinese: all six in open syllables or with a final or, reduced to two "entering" tones with a final stop.

Marking letters are placed at the end of syllables to indicate tone.

Language shift
Bouyei shows clearing of Proto-Tai–Kadai's "muddy" consonants ( →, → ,  → ), and loss of aspiration.

Proto-Tai–Kadai's tones experienced a splitting into modern Bouyei, shown in the following table.