Gogu Education

Chinese Language

Mandarin Chinese Tones

In Mandarin Chinese, the way your voice moves can change the meaning of a word. Mandarin has 4 main tones and a 5th neutral tone. Think of tones like little voice paths: flat, rising, dipping, falling, or light.

The tones are usually called 1st tone, 2nd tone, 3rd tone, 4th tone, and the neutral tone.
1

1st Tone

ā

A high, flat sound. Your voice stays steady, like a straight road.

2

2nd Tone

á

A rising sound. It goes up, a bit like asking a question in English.

3

3rd Tone

ǎ

A dipping sound. Your voice goes down, then comes back up.

4

4th Tone

à

A sharp falling sound. Your voice drops quickly and clearly.

5

Neutral Tone

a

A short, light sound. It has no tone mark and is said softly.

Example with ma: mā, má, mǎ, mà, ma

mā
妈

mother

First tone
(flat)
má
麻

numb

Second tone
(going up)
mǎ
马

horse

Third tone
(down and up)
mà
骂

scold

Fourth tone
(going down)
ma
吗

question word

Neutral tone
(light)

Tiny voice marks can change the meaning completely. mā is “mother,” but mǎ is “horse.” Mandarin is a little sound-puzzle.

Use Your Hand to Help

  • 1st tone: Move your hand straight across.
  • 2nd tone: Move your hand upward.
  • 3rd tone: Move your hand down, then up.
  • 4th tone: Move your hand sharply downward.
  • Neutral tone: Make a small, soft tap.

Neutral Tone Example: bàba

The casual Chinese word for “dad” is bàba. The first syllable has the 4th tone: bà. The second syllable becomes light and neutral: ba.

bà
ba

Teacher tip: Say each tone slowly first, then faster. Add hand movements so children can see the voice path.