Nǎi-nai
Here's how to break it down:
* Nǎi is pronounced like the "nigh" in "night," but with a slightly higher tone.
* nai is pronounced like the "nay" in "say," but with a slightly lower tone.
Important Note: Chinese has tones, and getting the tones right is essential for accurate pronunciation. In Mandarin Chinese, there are four tones, each denoted by a number:
1. High and level (like the "ma" in "father")
2. Rising (like the "ma" in "mama")
3. Dipping (like the "ma" in "ma'am")
4. Falling (like the "ma" in "mark")
The tones for Nǎinai are 3 and 2, respectively.
While it may be difficult to learn the tones at first, with practice, you'll be able to pronounce Chinese words, like Nǎinai, correctly!