Mandarin Chinese is a tonal language, meaning that the meaning of a word can change depending on the tone used when it’s pronounced. There are four tones in Mandarin Chinese, each represented by a diacritic mark above a vowel in pinyin, the Romanized script used to represent Chinese characters. Here’s how to master each tone:

The first tone (ā) is a high, steady pitch that remains constant throughout the syllable. It’s like the tone you use when singing the note “la.” For example, the word “mā” (妈) means “mother,” pronounced with a high, steady pitch.

Listen to the first tone here:


The second tone (á) is a rising pitch. It starts at a low pitch and rises up to a higher pitch. It’s like the tone you use when asking a question in English. For example, the word “má” (麻) means “numb,” pronounced with a rising pitch.

Listen to the second tone here:


The third tone (ǎ) is a falling-rising pitch. It starts at a middle pitch, dips down to a low pitch, and then rises up to a high pitch. It’s like the tone you use when expressing surprise or disbelief. For example, the word “mǎ” (马) means “horse,” pronounced with a falling-rising pitch.

Listen to the third tone here:


The fourth tone (à) is a sharp, falling pitch. It starts at a high pitch and falls abruptly to a low pitch. It’s like the tone you use when scolding someone or giving a command. For example, the word “mà” (骂) means “to scold,” pronounced with a sharp, falling pitch.

Listen to the fourth tone here:


To get the hang of these tones, it’s important to practice with a native speaker or a language-learning app *. You can also try listening to Chinese songs and repeating the lyrics to practice your tones.

Remember, mastering the tones is essential to speaking Chinese fluently and being understood by native speakers!

* I’m biased, but if you’re looking for a language learning app to help you practice Chinese tones, why not check out Ka?

It’s a fun, free way to learn and practice pinyin tones.

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