this post was submitted on 02 Feb 2026
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Cao is usually pronounced as /tsao/. For example: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%93%8D
Why is it transliterated like that rather than tsao or zao or something?
Pinyin's usage of the letter C for /tsʰ/ (not /ts/ as the person you're replying to says! The difference is subtle but it's there.) was apparently modeled on a previous romanization system called Latinxua Sin Wenz, which was created in the USSR. I'm kind of talking out my ass right now but from what I half remember these were the motivations for the choice of C for /tsʰ/ in Pinyin:
GOOD post
It is if you use wade giles
K covered the hard C sound already so C was available!
Ts is still found as an older spelling, but usually not for c.
Tsingtao (beer) is Qingdao in Pinyin.
Zao already exists and is a different sound to cao. {早|zǎo} and {草|cǎo}
I think they put the apostrophe after ts in some transcription to indicate the modern pinyin c, i.e. 曹操 Ts'ao Ts'ao
Huh, I haven't encountered that Ts. Or at least I don't recall encountering it. Just Tsingtao Beer and Tsinghua University
It's pretty uncommon, from the wade giles romanisation. I only recall seeing it in texts from like, the 1800s
For context this is where I heard it
Redo the script with the correct translation or leave as is for the comedy? It's Musou time!
Newer games actually started pronouncing names correctly. Idr where it started but I was amazed when it turns out you don't pronounce it Cow Cow either.
Yeah I think it was when I heard an Chinese American let's player pronounce his name correctly as Taso I was like "ohhhhhhhh"
Conversely the first time I heard a British friend pronounce it “cow cow” I cried with laughter
I wouldn't know, i play musou in its original Chinese dub
Them warriors do be dynasting
I found a YouTube link in your comment. Here are links to the same video on alternative frontends that protect your privacy:
肏屁