Chinese Tones in Everyday Words
Mandarin Chinese has four tones and a neutral tone: 妈 mā (mom, high and level), 麻 má (numb, rising), 马 mǎ (horse, low), 骂 mà (scold, falling) and a short, light 吗 ma. Below are 32 words with pinyin and English. They go from single tones to tone pairs in words like 中国 and 谢谢, then the three tone changes: 你好 (nǐ hǎo, said ní hǎo), 不 and 一.
Mandarin Tones in Everyday Words
Teaches the four Mandarin tones and the neutral tone, then the tone pairs inside everyday words like 你好, 谢谢 and 不客气. Covers the 3+3, 不 and 一 tone changes, with simplified characters and pinyin.
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The four tones and the neutral tone
| Mandarin | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 妈 | mā | Tone 1, high and level. Hold your voice high and flat, like singing one note. Means mom. In speech people usually double it: 妈妈 māma. | |
| 麻 | má | Tone 2, rising. Start in the middle of your voice and go up, like a surprised "huh?". Means numb or tingly, as in 麻辣 málà, the numbing spicy taste of Sichuan food. | |
| 马 | mǎ | Tone 3, low. Said alone, it dips low and rises a little at the end. Inside a word it usually stays low. Means horse. | |
| 骂 | mà | Tone 4, falling. Start high and drop fast, like a firm "No." Means to scold or tell someone off. | |
| 好吗？ | hǎo ma? | Neutral tone on 吗 ma. It is short and light and has no tone mark; its pitch follows the tone before it. 吗 turns a statement into a yes-no question. 好吗？ means "okay?" or "is that all right?" |
Words that differ only by tone
| Mandarin | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 买 | mǎi | Tone 3, low. Means to buy. Keep it low. With a falling tone 4, 卖 mài, the same syllable means to sell. | |
| 卖 | mài | Tone 4, falling. Means to sell. Drop sharply from high. Compare 买 mǎi, to buy, which stays low. | |
| 水饺 | shuǐjiǎo (said: shuíjiǎo) | Two third tones (3+3), so the first one rises: listen for shuí, not shuǐ. Means boiled dumplings. Compare 睡觉 shuìjiào, to sleep, which is two falling tones. | |
| 睡觉 | shuìjiào | Tone pair 4+4: two falls in a row. Let the first fall go only partway down, then drop fully on the second. Means to sleep or go to bed. Compare 水饺 shuǐjiǎo, dumplings. |
Tone pairs in everyday words
| Mandarin | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 中国 | Zhōngguó | Tone pair 1+2: high and level, then rising. Do not let 中 fall before 国 rises. Means China. | |
| 吃饭 | chī fàn | Tone pair 1+4: high and level, then a sharp fall from that same high point. Means to eat, or to have a meal. | |
| 明天 | míngtiān | Tone pair 2+1: rise, then hold high. 天 starts where 明 ends, at the top of your voice. Means tomorrow. | |
| 没有 | méiyǒu | Tone pair 2+3: rise, then drop low. Means don't have, or didn't. 没有 is also a short answer: "no, I don't" or "no, I didn't." | |
| 再见 | zàijiàn | Tone pair 4+4: two falls. Make the first fall shorter so the second one can drop fully. Means goodbye. Among friends, many people say 拜拜 bàibai instead. |
The neutral tone in words
| Mandarin | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 谢谢 | xièxie | Tone 4 + neutral tone. The first 谢 falls; the second is short and light. Means thank you. | |
| 朋友 | péngyou | Tone 2 + neutral tone. 朋 rises; 友 is short and light. Means friend. | |
| 什么 | shénme | Tone 2 + neutral tone. 什 rises; 么 is short and light. Means what. |
Low third tone before other tones
| Mandarin | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 北京 | Běijīng | Tone pair 3+1. Before tones 1, 2 and 4, a third tone stays low and does not rise. Teachers often call this a half third tone. Then jump up to a high, level 京. Means Beijing. | |
| 老师 | lǎoshī | Tone pair 3+1: 老 stays low, then 师 is high and level. Means teacher. It is also how you address a teacher, and some people use it as a polite title for other skilled adults. | |
| 米饭 | mǐfàn | Tone pair 3+4: 米 stays low, then 饭 falls from high. Means cooked rice. Compare 迷 mí, as in 迷路 mílù (to get lost), with a rising tone. |
Third tone pairs (3+3)
| Mandarin | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 你好 | nǐ hǎo (said: ní hǎo) | Two third tones (3+3). When two third tones meet, the first one is said as a rising tone 2. Pinyin keeps the tone 3 mark, so you read nǐ but say ní. Means hello. | |
| 很好 | hěn hǎo (said: hén hǎo) | Two third tones (3+3), so 很 rises: hén hǎo. Means very good, or I'm fine. | |
| 可以 | kěyǐ (said: kéyǐ) | Two third tones (3+3), so 可 rises: kéyǐ. Means can, may, or that's fine. On its own it is a common way to say yes to a request. | |
| 洗手间 | xǐshǒujiān (said: xíshǒujiān) | 洗手 is two third tones (3+3), so 洗 rises: xí. Then 间 is high and level. Means restroom. |
When 不 changes tone
| Mandarin | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 不是 | bù shì (said: bú shì) | 不 is tone 4 by default, but before another tone 4 it changes to tone 2. 是 is tone 4, so you say bú shì. Means no, or it isn't. | |
| 不客气 | bù kèqi (said: bú kèqi) | 客 is tone 4, so 不 changes to tone 2: bú kèqi. 气 is light. Means you're welcome, the usual reply to 谢谢. | |
| 不要 | bù yào (said: bú yào) | 要 is tone 4, so 不 changes to tone 2: bú yào. Means I don't want it, no thanks, or don't. | |
| 不好 | bù hǎo | No change here. 好 is tone 3, so 不 keeps tone 4: a fall into a low tone. 不 only changes before tone 4. Means not good, or bad. |
When 一 changes tone
| Mandarin | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一个 | yī gè (said: yí ge) | 一 is yī on its own, but before tone 4 it changes to tone 2. 个 is tone 4 in the dictionary and is often light in speech, so you say yí ge. Means one (of something). | |
| 一起 | yīqǐ (said: yìqǐ) | Before tones 1, 2 and 3, 一 changes to tone 4. 起 is tone 3, so you say yìqǐ. Means together. | |
| 等一下 | děng yīxià (said: děng yíxià) | 下 is tone 4, so 一 changes to tone 2: děng yíxià. Means wait a moment. Staff and waiters say this a lot. | |
| 十一 | shíyī | No change. 一 keeps tone 1 when you count, at the end of a word, and in order words like 第一 dì yī (first). Means eleven. |
Frequently asked questions
What are the 4 tones in Chinese?
Tone 1 is high and level. Tone 2 rises. Tone 3 is low, and dips and rises a little when you say it alone. Tone 4 falls from high. Mandarin also has a neutral tone, which is short and light and has no tone mark.
Why is 你好 said ní hǎo?
When two third tones come together, the first one is said as a rising tone 2. Pinyin still writes nǐ hǎo. The same change happens in 很好, 可以 and 水饺.
Does pinyin show the 不 and 一 tone changes?
Dictionaries write the base tones, bù and yī. Some textbooks write the spoken tone, as in bú shì and yí ge. 不 changes to bú before a tone 4. 一 changes to yí before a tone 4 and to yì before the other tones, but stays yī when you count.
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