Lesson 5 Tones

In this lesson we will study the four basic tones and the neutral (zero) tone in standard Chinese.

Different from English, Chinese is a tonal language. Based on tone pitch, the basic tones in standard Chinese can be classified into four types: high level tone, high rising tone, fall-rise tone and high falling tone. They can also be called as the first tone, second tone, third tone and fourth tone. The tone pitch for each of the four tones is illustrated in the figure below.

Tone Pitches of the Four Tones in the Standard Chinese

For the first tone, the tone pitch starts from 5 and keeps at this level until it finishes. The second tone initially starts at 3 and then gradually rises to 5. The third tone starts from 2 and drops down to 1, then rises up to 4. The fourth tone starts at 5 and drops down to 1. The tone marks for the four tones are written as ˉ, ′, ˇ, ‵ respectively.

Tongue Twister

Grandpa Sets up a Stall

爷(yé)爷(yé)摆(bǎi)摊(tān)子(zi)

Grandpa sets up a stall,

爷(yé)爷(yé)摆(bǎi)摊(tān)子(zi)，

And sells eggplants, oranges and shoes

卖(mài)茄(qié)子(zi)、橘(jú)子(zi)和(hé)鞋(xié)子(zi)。

After selling out the eggplants he sells oranges,

卖(mài)完(wán)了(liǎo)茄(qié)子(zi)卖(mài)橘(jú)子(zi)，

After selling out the oranges he sells shoes,

卖(mài)完(wán)了(liǎo)橘(jú)子(zi)卖(mài)鞋(xié)子(zi)，

After selling out the shoes grandpa sings.

卖(mài)完(wán)了(liǎo)鞋(xié)子(zi)，爷(yé)爷(yé)哼(hēng)曲(qǔ)子(zi)。

#Pinyin