Four tones

Foreign Languages

Definition

Mandarin Chinese uses four distinct tones to distinguish word meanings. The first tone is high and flat, the second rises, the third dips then rises, and the fourth falls sharply. Using the wrong tone can completely change a word's meaning.

Examples

  • 'mā' (first tone) means 'mother,' 'má' (second tone) means 'hemp,' 'mǎ' (third tone) means 'horse,' and 'mà' (fourth tone) means 'to scold'
  • 'tāng' (first tone) means 'soup' while 'táng' (second tone) means 'sugar'
  • There is also a neutral (light) tone used for unstressed syllables like 'ma' in question particles
Key Fact

Tone 1: flat (ˉ), Tone 2: rising (ˊ), Tone 3: dip-rise (ˇ), Tone 4: falling (ˋ)

Related Terms

Pinyin initials and finals Tone pairs Self-introduction

Study This Concept

Practice four tones with free review games in these units:

Mandarin Chinese 1 Unit 1: Pinyin and Tones