Tones and Pinyin
Chinese is a tonal language — the pitch pattern you use when pronouncing a syllable determines its meaning. The syllable "ma" can mean mother, hemp, horse, or scold depending entirely on the tone. This concept doesn't exist in European languages, which makes tones the biggest adjustment for English speakers. However, tones follow strict patterns, and with practice they become natural.
The four tones (plus neutral)
Mandarin Chinese has four main tones plus a neutral (unstressed) tone. Each tone has a distinct pitch contour that must be produced consistently. Getting tones wrong doesn't just sound foreign — it can completely change your meaning or make you unintelligible:
| Tone | Mark | Description | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | ā | High, flat | mā | mother |
| 2nd | á | Rising | má | hemp |
| 3rd | ǎ | Dip (fall-rise) | mǎ | horse |
| 4th | à | Falling | mà | scold |
| Neutral | a | Light, short | ma | (question particle) |
How to produce tones
- 1st tone: Start high, stay high and flat. Like humming.
- 2nd tone: Start mid, rise up. Like asking "What?"
- 3rd tone: Start mid-low, dip down, rise up. Often just low in connected speech.
- 4th tone: Start high, drop sharply. Like giving a command.
- Neutral: Short and light, no specific pitch.
Pinyin
Pinyin is the romanization system for Chinese. It represents sounds, not English pronunciation.
Initials (consonants)
| Pinyin | Sound | Pinyin | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| b | like "b" but unaspirated | p | like "p" with puff of air |
| d | like "d" but unaspirated | t | like "t" with puff of air |
| g | like "g" but unaspirated | k | like "k" with puff of air |
| j | like "j" in "jeep" | q | like "ch" in "cheese" |
| x | like "sh" but with tongue forward | zh | like "j" in "judge" |
| ch | like "ch" but tongue curled | sh | like "sh" but tongue curled |
| r | like "r" but tongue curled | z | like "ds" in "kids" |
| c | like "ts" in "cats" | s | like "s" |
Finals (vowels)
| Pinyin | Sound |
|---|---|
| a | "ah" |
| o | "aw" |
| e | "uh" |
| i | "ee" (after most initials) |
| u | "oo" |
| ü | round lips for "oo", say "ee" |
| ai | "eye" |
| ei | "ay" |
| ao | "ow" in "cow" |
| ou | "oh" |
| an | "ahn" |
| en | "un" in "run" |
| ang | "ahng" |
| eng | "ung" |
| ong | "ong" |
Special combinations
| Pinyin | Sound | Note |
|---|---|---|
| zi, ci, si | "zuh, tsuh, suh" | Different "i" sound |
| zhi, chi, shi, ri | "jr, chr, shr, r" | Curled tongue |
| ju, qu, xu | "jü, chü, shü" | The "u" is actually "ü" |
Tone sandhi (tone changes)
Third tone rule
When two 3rd tones are together, the first becomes a 2nd tone:
- 你好 nǐ hǎo → ní hǎo (hello)
不 (bù, "not") rule
Bù changes to bú before 4th tones:
- 不是 bù shì → bú shì (is not)
一 (yī, "one") rule
Yī changes tone based on what follows:
- Before 4th tone: yí (2nd tone)
- Before other tones: yì (4th tone)
Practice
| Pinyin | Tone marks | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| nǐ hǎo | 3-3 → 2-3 | hello |
| xièxie | 4-neutral | thank you |
| zàijiàn | 4-4 | goodbye |
| duìbuqǐ | 4-4-3 | sorry |
| bù kèqi | 4-4-4 | you're welcome |