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Learn Mandarin Pronunciation With Tone Pairs

Chinese is tonal and spoken with 4 tones, plus a neutral tone. After learning pinyin and the 4 tones, it is pretty easy to recognize the tones in isolation, but difficult to comprehend real speech. Learning to recognize tone pairs is the best next step to learning to comprehend Chinese at speed. Most Chinese words consist of two characters and thus are spoken with two syllables.

If you have already mastered the Pinyin Table, then it is time to reach the next level learning to instictively recognize the 20 tone pairs.

Word Set 1
Tone 1 Tone 2 Tone 3 Tone 4 Neutral
Tone 1
开心 開心 kāi xīn Synthesized Speech
to feel happy; to rejoice
中国 中國 Zhōng guó Synthesized Speech
China
今晚 今晚 jīn wǎn Synthesized Speech
tonight
关闭 關閉 guān bì Synthesized Speech
to close; to shut
他们 他們 tā men Synthesized Speech
they
Tone 2
全新 全新 quán xīn Synthesized Speech
all new; completely new
全年 全年 quán nián Synthesized Speech
the whole year; all year long
传统 傳統 chuán tǒng Synthesized Speech
tradition; traditional
博客 博客 bó kè Synthesized Speech
blog (loanword); weblog
值得 值得 zhí de Synthesized Speech
to be worth; to deserve
Tone 3
买家 買家 mǎi jiā Synthesized Speech
buyer
以前 以前 yǐ qián Synthesized Speech
before; formerly
产品 產品 chǎn pǐn Synthesized Speech
goods; merchandise
保护 保護 bǎo hù Synthesized Speech
to protect; to defend
喜欢 喜歡 xǐ huan Synthesized Speech
to like; to be fond of
Tone 4
信息 信息 xìn xī Synthesized Speech
information; news
个人 個人 gè rén Synthesized Speech
individual; personal
下载 下載 xià zǎi Synthesized Speech
to download
介绍 介紹 jiè shào Synthesized Speech
to introduce (sb to sb); to give a presentation
力量 力量 lì liang Synthesized Speech
power; force
Practice
Practice Listening Practice Speaking Google Chrome Required Practice Speaking    Study Both
Word Set 2
Tone 1 Tone 2 Tone 3 Tone 4 Neutral
Tone 1
中心 中心 zhōng xīn Synthesized Speech
center; heart
中文 中文 Zhōng wén Synthesized Speech
Chinese; Chinese written language
分享 分享 fēn xiǎng Synthesized Speech
to share
发现 發現 fā xiàn Synthesized Speech
to find; to discover
休息 休息 xiū xi Synthesized Speech
rest; to rest
Tone 2
原因 原因 yuán yīn Synthesized Speech
cause; origin
其实 其實 qí shí Synthesized Speech
actually; in fact
如果 如果 rú guǒ Synthesized Speech
if; in case
图片 圖片 tú piàn Synthesized Speech
image; picture
便宜 便宜 pián yi Synthesized Speech
cheap; inexpensive
Tone 3
取消 取消 qǔ xiāo Synthesized Speech
to cancel; cancellation
友情 友情 yǒu qíng Synthesized Speech
friendly feelings; friendship
你好 你好 nǐ hǎo Synthesized Speech
Hello!; Hi!
保证 保證 bǎo zhèng Synthesized Speech
guarantee; to guarantee
小姐 小姐 xiǎo jie Synthesized Speech
young lady; miss
Tone 4
信箱 信箱 xìn xiāng Synthesized Speech
mailbox; post office box
内容 內容 nèi róng Synthesized Speech
content; substance
作者 作者 zuò zhě Synthesized Speech
author; writer
但是 但是 dàn shì Synthesized Speech
but; however
困难 困難 kùn nan Synthesized Speech
difficult; challenging
Practice
Practice Listening Practice Speaking Google Chrome Required Practice Speaking    Study Both
Word Set 3
Tone 1 Tone 2 Tone 3 Tone 4 Neutral
Tone 1
交通 交通 jiāo tōng Synthesized Speech
to be connected; traffic
交流 交流 jiāo liú Synthesized Speech
to exchange; exchange
多少 多少 duō shao Synthesized Speech
how much; how many
因为 因為 yīn wèi Synthesized Speech
because; owing to
圈子 圈子 quān zi Synthesized Speech
circle; ring
Tone 2
国家 國家 guó jiā Synthesized Speech
country; nation
原则 原則 yuán zé Synthesized Speech
principle; doctrine
媒体 媒體 méi tǐ Synthesized Speech
media, esp. news media
城市 城市 chéng shì Synthesized Speech
city; town
合同 合同 hé tong Synthesized Speech
(business) contract
Tone 3
已经 已經 yǐ jīng Synthesized Speech
already
小时 小時 xiǎo shí Synthesized Speech
hour
减少 減少 jiǎn shǎo Synthesized Speech
to lessen; to decrease
免费 免費 miǎn fèi Synthesized Speech
free (of charge)
尺寸 尺寸 chǐ cun Synthesized Speech
size; dimension
Tone 4
健康 健康 jiàn kāng Synthesized Speech
health; healthy
地图 地圖 dì tú Synthesized Speech
map
具体 具體 jù tǐ Synthesized Speech
concrete; definite
告诉 告訴 gào sù Synthesized Speech
to tell; to inform
态度 態度 tài du Synthesized Speech
manner; bearing
Practice
Practice Listening Practice Speaking Google Chrome Required Practice Speaking    Study Both

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