Word Guide
How to pronounce 知道 (zhī dào)
知道 means "to know". Use this guide to lock in the tone pattern, articulation target, and the mistake most learners still make.
Short answer
知道 is pronounced zhī dào and means "to know". The key target is retroflex basics, with the tone pattern Tone 1 + Tone 4.
Why learners miss it
Learners often miss 知道 because they often flatten zh so the word starts too close to z.
Self-test
Record 知道, then check whether your pitch contour and articulation match zhī dào.
Pinyin
zhī dào
Tone Pattern
Tone 1 + Tone 4
Pronunciation Focus
retroflex-basics
How to say it
Guided fix
Retroflex fix for zh
What to do
For zhī, 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 zh sounds almost like z, your tongue is still too far forward.
English anchor
Start from the English j in "judge", then move the tongue tip slightly farther back and tighten the release.
Quick self-check
Say zi -> zhi slowly. zhi should sound darker at the start, not just louder. In 知道, this matters most on the first syllable.
Most common error
Error summary
Learners often flatten zh so the word starts too close to z.
What it turns into
zh -> z
Focus area
Retroflex basics
Difficulty
Easy
HSK Level
HSK1