Sentence Guide
How to pronounce 他吃了。 (tā chī le.)
他吃了。 means "He ate.". Use this guide to lock in the tone pattern, articulation target, and the mistake most learners still make.
Short answer
他吃了。 is pronounced tā chī le. and means "He ate.". The key target is retroflex basics, with the tone pattern Tone 1 + Tone 1 + Tone 5.
Why learners miss it
Learners often miss 他吃了。 because they often flatten the retroflex portion and lose the darker, farther-back quality.
Self-test
Record 他吃了。, then check whether your pitch contour and articulation match tā chī le..
Pinyin
tā chī le.
Tone Pattern
Tone 1 + Tone 1 + Tone 5
Pronunciation Focus
retroflex-basics
How to say it
Guided fix
Retroflex fix
What to do
For tā, pull the tongue tip slightly back before the vowel starts. Keep the release tight instead of letting the front of the tongue stay flat.
What to avoid
If the first sound feels flat and too close to z or s, the tongue is still too far forward.
English anchor
Pull the tongue tip slightly back before the vowel starts. Do not over-curl.
Quick self-check
Compare the sound with a flatter z/s version. The retroflex version should sound darker and tighter. In 他吃了。, this matters most on the first syllable.
Most common error
Error summary
Learners often flatten the retroflex portion and lose the darker, farther-back quality.
Focus area
Retroflex basics
Difficulty
Easy
HSK Level
HSK1
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