The Four Tones: Hear the Difference
四个声调
Mandarin uses pitch to tell words apart. Learn the four tones with a pitch chart, twenty listening examples and a quick ear-training quiz.
In Mandarin, the same syllable said with a different pitch becomes a different word. mā is “mother”, mǎ is “horse”. That sounds daunting, but there are only four tones (plus a light, unstressed “neutral” tone), and your ear adjusts faster than you might expect.
- 1st tone ā — High and level, like holding a note
- 2nd tone á — Rising, like asking “What?”
- 3rd tone ǎ — Low, dipping, then rising
- 4th tone à — Sharp fall, like a firm “No!”
Listen: same sound, four meanings
Tap a character to hear it. Listen to each row from left to right.
Quiz: which tone do you hear?
Score 0 / 0
Press “Play a sound” to start.
How to practise
- Exaggerate at first. Make the 2nd tone rise like a surprised question and the 4th tone fall like a firm command. You can relax later.
- Say the 3rd tone low. In normal speech the 3rd tone often stays low and doesn’t rise at the end — unless it comes at the end of a phrase.
- Learn words, not tones. Tones stick best when attached to meaning: 妈 mā (mum), 马 mǎ (horse).
- Watch for tone changes. Two 3rd tones in a row? The first one becomes a 2nd tone: 你好 is said ní hǎo.
Audio note
The sounds on this page come from your browser’s built-in Chinese voice, so they vary a little from device to device. Recorded lessons with native speakers are coming to the Audio section.
Discussion
Questions, corrections and your own examples are welcome. Please keep it kind and on topic.
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