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Sentence Guide

Tier 1 Practice Page

How to pronounce 很贵。 (hěn guì.)

很贵。 means "Very expensive.". Use this guide to lock in the tone pattern, articulation target, and the mistake most learners still make.

Short answer

很贵。 is pronounced hěn guì. and means "Very expensive.". The key target is tone contrast, with the tone pattern Tone 3 + Tone 4.

Why learners miss it

Learners often miss 很贵。 because the contour often gets flattened, so Tone 2 and Tone 3 stop sounding distinct.

Self-test

Record 很贵。, then check whether your pitch contour and articulation match hěn guì..

Pinyin

hěn guì.

Tone Pattern

Tone 3 + Tone 4

Pronunciation Focus

toneContrast

How to say it

Guided fix

How to shape this pronunciation

What to do

Say hěn slowly first, then keep the target sound steady as you move through the rest of 很贵。.

What to avoid

Do not let the whole word flatten into one rushed shape. Keep the target consonant or tone contrast clear.

What to listen for

The key sound should stay distinct instead of collapsing toward the nearest easy English habit.

Quick self-check

Say hěn guì. once slowly and once at normal speed. If the target sound disappears when you speed up, it is not stable yet.

Most common error

Error summary

The contour often gets flattened, so Tone 2 and Tone 3 stop sounding distinct.

Focus area

ToneContrast

Difficulty

Easy

HSK Level

HSK1

Related pronunciation rules

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