How to pronounce
in Mandarin Chinese
cùFourth tone
Hear it in conversation
A little bit of vinegar, from the side
fàng放yī一xiǎo小sháo勺cù醋,zài再lái来yī一xiǎo小sháo勺táng糖
add a little bit vinegar, and sugar
cù醋,táng糖,bǔ补yī一点点yán盐
Vinegar, sugar, add a little salt.
Select a word for its meaning.
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.