Mandarin pronunciation guides built around real learner mistakes

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Free Mandarin pronunciation test

Use MandaTone to record Mandarin words or sentences and inspect tone, pitch contour, and pronunciation feedback online.

Chinese tone test online

Check whether your Mandarin tones rise, fall, dip, or stay level in the expected direction with online pitch contour feedback.

Mandarin pitch contour analyzer

Analyze Mandarin pitch contour patterns online and use visual feedback to diagnose tone movement in words and sentences.

Mandarin pronunciation feedback tool

Get focused Mandarin pronunciation feedback for tone, pitch contour, and articulation risks after recording practice prompts online.

Best way to practice Chinese tones

Practice Chinese tones with a repeatable workflow: isolate the tone, record yourself, inspect the contour, then move into words and sentences.

How to pronounce zh, ch, sh, and r in Chinese

3 words, 2 sentences. How to pronounce zh, ch, sh, and r in Chinese. A practical guide to Mandarin retroflex initials with tongue position tips, common substitutions, and sample words.

z c s vs zh ch sh: Mandarin pronunciation difference

3 words, 1 sentences. z c s vs zh ch sh: Mandarin pronunciation difference. Learn the contrast between flat alveolar initials and retroflex initials with tongue-position cues, common mistakes, and minimal-pair style drills.

How to pronounce j, q, and x in Mandarin

3 words, 3 sentences. How to pronounce j, q, and x in Mandarin. An English-first explanation of Mandarin j, q, and x with lip shape, tongue placement, and easy starter examples.

n vs ng: how to fix Mandarin nasal finals

2 words, 1 sentences. n vs ng: how to fix Mandarin nasal finals. A guide to front nasal -n and back nasal -ng endings, with words that train the difference clearly.

How to pronounce ü in Chinese

3 words, 1 sentences. How to pronounce ü in Chinese. Learn how Mandarin ü differs from plain u, with lip rounding cues and high-frequency example words.

Tone 2 vs Tone 3: what learners usually miss

3 words, 2 sentences. Tone 2 vs Tone 3: what learners usually miss. A compact guide to the rising second tone, the dipping third tone, and where learners flatten or over-dip them.

Third tone sandhi: why 你好 sounds like ní hǎo

4 words, 2 sentences. Third tone sandhi: why 你好 sounds like ní hǎo. Understand the most common third-tone sandhi pattern, where the first of two third tones changes before the second.

How tone change works for 一 and 不

2 words, 1 sentences. How tone change works for 一 and 不. A practical guide to how 一 and 不 change tone depending on the following syllable in Mandarin speech.

知道 (zhī dào)

Core practice page. 知道 means "to know". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for zhī dào.

吃饭 (chī fàn)

Core practice page. 吃饭 means "to eat a meal". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for chī fàn.

老师 (lǎo shī)

Core practice page. 老师 means "teacher". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for lǎo shī.

周末 (zhōu mò)

Core practice page. 周末 means "weekend". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for zhōu mò.

找到 (zhǎo dào)

Core practice page. 找到 means "to find". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for zhǎo dào.

聪明 (cōng míng)

Core practice page. 聪明 means "clever/smart". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for cōng míng.

请问 (qǐng wèn)

Core practice page. 请问 means "excuse me; may I ask". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for qǐng wèn.

去年 (qù nián)

Core practice page. 去年 means "last year". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for qù nián.

知道 (zhī dào)

Tone 1 + Tone 4. 知道 means "to know". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for zhī dào.

吃饭 (chī fàn)

Tone 1 + Tone 4. 吃饭 means "to eat a meal". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for chī fàn.

老师 (lǎo shī)

Tone 3 + Tone 1. 老师 means "teacher". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for lǎo shī.

周末 (zhōu mò)

Tone 1 + Tone 4. 周末 means "weekend". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for zhōu mò.

找到 (zhǎo dào)

Tone 3 + Tone 4. 找到 means "to find". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for zhǎo dào.

聪明 (cōng míng)

Tone 1 + Tone 2. 聪明 means "clever/smart". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for cōng míng.

请问 (qǐng wèn)

Tone 3 + Tone 4. 请问 means "excuse me; may I ask". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for qǐng wèn.

去年 (qù nián)

Tone 4 + Tone 2. 去年 means "last year". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for qù nián.

担心 (dān xīn)

Tone 1 + Tone 1. 担心 means "to worry". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for dān xīn.

女儿 (nǚ ér)

Tone 3 + Tone 2. 女儿 means "daughter". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for nǚ ér.

雨伞 (yǔ sǎn)

Tone 3 + Tone 3. 雨伞 means "umbrella". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for yǔ sǎn.

学生 (xué sheng)

Tone 2 + Tone 5. 学生 means "student". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for xué sheng.

白色 (bái sè)

Tone 2 + Tone 4. 白色 means "white (color)". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for bái sè.

米饭 (mǐ fàn)

Tone 3 + Tone 4. 米饭 means "cooked rice". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for mǐ fàn.

你好 (nǐ hǎo)

Tone 2 + Tone 3. 你好 means "hello". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for nǐ hǎo.

水果 (shuǐ guǒ)

Tone 2 + Tone 3. 水果 means "fruit". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for shuǐ guǒ.

一个 (yí gè)

Tone 2 + Tone 4. 一个 means "one (measure word)". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for yí gè.

一杯 (yì bēi)

Tone 4 + Tone 1. 一杯 means "one cup/glass". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for yì bēi.

不要 (bú yào)

Tone 2 + Tone 4. 不要 means "don't want". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for bú yào.

他是老师。 (tā shì lǎo shī.)

Tone 1 + Tone 4 + Tone 3 + Tone 1. 他是老师。 means "He is a teacher.". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for tā shì lǎo shī..

今天星期几？ (jīn tiān xīng qī jǐ)

Tone 1 + Tone 1 + Tone 1 + Tone 1 + Tone 3. 今天星期几？ means "What day of the week is it today?". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for jīn tiān xīng qī jǐ.

请安静。 (qǐng ān jìng)

Tone 3 + Tone 1 + Tone 4. 请安静。 means "Please be quiet.". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for qǐng ān jìng.

我喝绿茶。 (wǒ hē lǜ chá.)

Tone 3 + Tone 1 + Tone 4 + Tone 2. 我喝绿茶。 means "I drink green tea.". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for wǒ hē lǜ chá..

我没去。 (wǒ méi qù.)

Tone 3 + Tone 2 + Tone 4. 我没去。 means "I didn't go.". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for wǒ méi qù..

你很好。 (nǐ hěn hǎo.)

Tone 2 + Tone 2 + Tone 3. 你很好。 means "You are very good.". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for nǐ hěn hǎo..

我不是。 (wǒ bú shì.)

Tone 3 + Tone 2 + Tone 4. 我不是。 means "I am not.". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for wǒ bú shì..

他吃了。 (tā chī le.)

Tone 1 + Tone 1 + Tone 5. 他吃了。 means "He ate.". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for tā chī le..

很贵。 (hěn guì.)

Tone 3 + Tone 4. 很贵。 means "Very expensive.". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for hěn guì..

你好。 (nǐ hǎo.)

Tone 2 + Tone 3. 你好。 means "Hello.". Learn the tone pattern, pronunciation focus, and common mistake for nǐ hǎo..