Chinese: Tones & Pronunciation Guide
Master the four tones of Mandarin Chinese plus the neutral tone — the key to being understood.
Study these flashcards with spaced repetition
Track your progress, master difficult cards, and export to Anki. Free to start.
Start Studying — FreeFlashcards in This Deck
Describe the pitch and contour of the First Tone (mā) in Mandarin.
The First Tone is high, flat, and level, maintaining a steady high pitch throughout.
Describe the pitch and contour of the Second Tone (má) in Mandarin.
The Second Tone is a rising pitch, starting from a middle level and moving upward to a high level.
Describe the pitch and contour of the Third Tone (mǎ) in Mandarin.
The Third Tone is a dipping pitch that starts mid-low, drops to a very low pitch, and then rises slightly.
Describe the pitch and contour of the Fourth Tone (mà) in Mandarin.
The Fourth Tone is a sharp, falling pitch that starts high and drops rapidly to a low level.
What is the 'Neutral Tone' (ma) and how is it pronounced?
The Neutral Tone is a light, short, and unstressed tone with no specific pitch contour of its own.
How is the first tone indicated in Pinyin notation?
The first tone is indicated by a horizontal bar (macron) over the main vowel (e.g., ā).
What is the 'Third Tone Sandhi' rule when two 3rd tones appear consecutively (e.g., nǐ hǎo)?
The first 3rd tone syllable changes into a 2nd tone, while the second syllable remains a 3rd tone (ní hǎo).
How does the tone of 'bù' (not) change when followed by another 4th tone syllable?
It changes from its original 4th tone to a 2nd tone (e.g., 'bù shì' becomes 'bú shì').
What is the tone change for 'yī' (one) when it precedes a 4th tone syllable?
It changes from its original 1st tone to a 2nd tone (e.g., 'yī gè' becomes 'yí gè').
What is the tone change for 'yī' (one) when it precedes a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd tone syllable?
It changes from its original 1st tone to a 4th tone (e.g., 'yì tiān', 'yì nián', 'yì běn').
+10 more cards — sign up to see all
Frequently Asked Questions
How many flashcards are in this Chinese: Tones & Pronunciation Guide deck?
This deck contains 20 flashcards with a mix of difficulty levels: 6 easy, 10 medium, and 4 hard cards.
Is this flashcard deck free to use?
Yes! You can study these flashcards for free with our spaced repetition system. Create a free account to track your progress and save your study history.
Can I export these flashcards to Anki?
Pro users can export any deck to Anki (.apkg format) with one click. Free users can export to CSV. Start studying for free and upgrade when you need Anki export.
What is spaced repetition?
Spaced repetition is a study technique that shows you cards at increasing intervals based on how well you know them. Cards you struggle with appear more often, while mastered cards are shown less frequently. This is proven to be one of the most effective ways to memorize information.
Related Flashcard Decks
Ready to study?
Create a free account and start studying these flashcards with spaced repetition.
Get Started — Free