How to pronounce 很长 (hěn cháng)

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.

学生 (xué sheng)

Keep xué clearly rising without letting it sag low at the start.

白色 (bái sè)

Make bái rise cleanly, then drop fast into sè.

米饭 (mǐ fàn)

Start mǐ lower than a rising tone, then let fàn fall sharply after it.

我没去。 (wǒ méi qù.)

Keep méi genuinely rising so it does not merge with the low shape of wǒ.

很贵。 (hěn guì.)

Keep the rising-versus-low contrast clear in 很贵。 (hěn guì.) instead of leveling the contour.

钱不多。 (qián bù duō.)

Keep the rising-versus-low contrast clear in 钱不多。 (qián bù duō.) instead of leveling the contour.