Bopomofo, also known as Zhuyin, is a phonetic script used primarily in Taiwan to transcribe the sounds of the Mandarin language. It consists of 37 characters and four tone marks, representing the basic sounds of Mandarin. Bopomofo is often used in educational settings to help students learn pronunciation and reading. Originally developed in the early 20th century, Bopomofo serves as an alternative to Pinyin, the Romanization system for Mandarin. While Pinyin uses the Latin alphabet, Bopomofo provides a unique set of symbols that can be particularly helpful for learners of all ages in mastering the sounds of Mandarin.