Mandarin Tones: The 4 Tones, Neutral Tone and Tone Changes
Hanzi Grove · 2026-11-09
Mandarin has four main tones and a light neutral tone: the first tone is high and level, the second rises, the third dips low, and the fourth falls sharply. The tone is part of the word, so mā (妈, mum) and mǎ (马, horse) are different words, not the same word said two ways.
This guide explains how each tone sounds, how tones are marked in pinyin, the three tone changes every beginner needs (不, 一 and two third tones in a row), and practical ways to train your ear and voice.
The four tones at a glance
Think of your voice range as a scale from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest). Each tone has its own shape on that scale.
| Tone | Mark | Shape | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | ā | high and level (5 to 5) | 妈 mā | mum |
| 2nd | á | rising (3 to 5) | 麻 má | hemp, numb |
| 3rd | ǎ | low, dipping (2 to 1 to 4) | 马 mǎ | horse |
| 4th | à | sharp fall (5 to 1) | 骂 mà | to scold |
| neutral | a | short and light | 吗 ma | question word |
The numbers are a standard way of describing tone shapes. You do not need to memorise them, but they show the key idea: tones are about the shape of the pitch, not about loudness.
How each tone sounds
First tone: high and level
Hold a steady, high note, as if you were singing one long note. Do not let it drop at the end. Examples: 妈 (mā, mum), 他 (tā, he), 书 (shū, book), 中 (zhōng, middle).
Common mistake: starting high and then falling, which makes it sound like a fourth tone. Keep it flat.
Second tone: rising
Start in the middle of your range and rise, like a surprised “what?” in English. Examples: 人 (rén, person), 学 (xué, to study), 来 (lái, to come), 国 (guó, country).
Common mistake: rising too little. Exaggerate the rise while you practise.
Third tone: low and dipping
Drop low, and, when the syllable is said alone or at the end of a phrase, rise again a little. Examples: 我 (wǒ, I), 你 (nǐ, you), 好 (hǎo, good), 马 (mǎ, horse).
Important: in normal speech, a third tone before another syllable usually stays low and does not rise. This “half third tone” is the form you will use most. Focus on the low part, not the rise.
Fourth tone: falling
Start high and drop sharply, like a firm “No!” Examples: 是 (shì, to be), 爱 (ài, to love), 大 (dà, big), 看 (kàn, to look).
Common mistake: starting too low, which leaves no room to fall. Begin at the top of your range.
Neutral tone: short and light
Some syllables have no full tone. They are said quickly and lightly, and their pitch depends on the syllable before. Pinyin shows them with no tone mark.
Common examples are grammar words such as 吗 (ma), 的 (de) and 了 (le), the second syllable of many doubled words such as 妈妈 (māma) and 谢谢 (xièxie), and many common words such as 朋友 (péngyou, friend). See 谢谢 and 朋友 for audio.
How tones are marked in pinyin
Tone marks go over the main vowel of a syllable: ā á ǎ à. When a syllable has more than one vowel, the mark follows a simple rule: put it on a or e if there is one; in ou, put it on o; otherwise put it on the last vowel. For example: hǎo, xiè, dōu, liù, guì. Our pinyin guide covers this and the other spelling rules in detail.
Some textbooks and apps use numbers instead: ma1, ma2, ma3, ma4, and ma5 or ma0 for the neutral tone.
The three tone changes you need
In connected speech, some tones change because of the tone that follows. There are three changes every beginner should know.
1. Two third tones in a row
When two third tones come together, the first one changes to a second tone.
- 你好 is written nǐ hǎo but said ní hǎo. See the 你好 word page.
- 很好 is written hěn hǎo but said hén hǎo.
- 老虎 (tiger) is written lǎohǔ but said láohǔ.
Pinyin normally keeps the original marks, so you need to make this change yourself when speaking.
2. 不 (bù) before a fourth tone
不 (bù, not) is a fourth tone. Before another fourth tone, it changes to a second tone.
- 不是 (not to be): bú shì
- 不对 (not correct): bú duì
- 不要 (don’t want): bú yào
Before first, second and third tones, it stays bù: 不吃 (bù chī), 不来 (bù lái), 不好 (bù hǎo).
3. 一 (yī) before other tones
一 (yī, one) keeps its first tone when said alone, when counting, at the end of a word, and in numbers and dates. Otherwise:
- Before a fourth tone, it becomes second tone: 一个 (yí ge, one of something), 一定 (yídìng, certainly).
- Before first, second and third tones, it becomes fourth tone: 一天 (yì tiān, one day), 一年 (yì nián, one year), 一起 (yìqǐ, together).
Many textbooks mark these changes for 不 and 一 directly in the pinyin. Others do not. Learn the rule so you are ready for both.
How to practise tones
Tones improve with short, regular practice. Here are methods that work.
Exaggerate at first. Make the first tone very flat, the second rise very clearly, the third go very low and the fourth fall hard. You can relax later. Starting too subtle is the most common reason tones stay unclear.
Use your hand. Draw the tone shape in the air as you say the syllable: a flat line, a rising line, a low dip, a sharp fall. It links the sound to a shape you can see.
Practise tone pairs. Most words have two syllables, so practise pairs rather than single syllables. Work through combinations such as first + fourth (生日 shēngrì, birthday), second + third (没有 méiyǒu, not have), third + fourth (以后 yǐhòu, later) and fourth + fourth (再见 zàijiàn, goodbye).
Record yourself. Say a word, record it, and compare it with the audio on its word page. You will hear differences you cannot notice while speaking.
Learn tones with every word. Never learn a word without its tone. When you learn a group of 10 words on Hanzi Grove, say each word aloud with its tone and listen to the audio. Start with HSK 1, group 1.
Listen and write. Play a word’s audio, write the pinyin with tone marks, then check. Ten words a day is enough.
Frequently asked questions
Are tones really that important?
Yes. Changing the tone can change the word. Listeners can often work out what you mean from context, but clear tones make you much easier to understand.
Which tone is the hardest?
Many learners find the third tone hardest, because its full form (low then rising) is less common in speech than its half form (just low). Practise the low part first.
Do I need to learn tone numbers?
No. Tone marks are standard on Hanzi Grove and in most textbooks. Numbers are useful mainly for typing pinyin without special keys.
Where should a beginner start?
Start with the four tones on single syllables for a day or two, then move to real words. The beginner path covers characters, and the HSK 1 list gives you real words with audio.