How to pronounce
in Mandarin Chinese
pánSecond toneziNeutral tone
Hear it in conversation
zhè这shì是pán盘zi子
this is a plate, lots
wǎn碗hé和pán盘zi子
bowl and a plate.
Select a word for its meaning.
See it in a sentence.
The plate is dirty.
I need a plate.
Hear the difference
A syllable has a shape.
Tone marks show how pitch changes. Colors help you follow each syllable in the app.
ā →First toneHigh and level
á ↗Second toneRising
ǎ ↘↗Third toneLow, then rising in isolation
à ↘Fourth toneFalling
a ·Neutral toneShort and light
These are dictionary tones. In natural speech, tones can change with context. A third tone often stays low before another syllable.