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Mandarin tone practice

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Open practice

Start with one sound.

Listen, choose its tone, then tap every tone card to compare the same syllable and voice.

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Listen and compare

The four Mandarin tones, with audio

A Mandarin tone is the pitch pattern of a syllable. Changing the tone can change the word. Pinyin marks the four main tones with accents over a vowel. Compare the same syllable, shi, in all four tones below: each recording uses the same native speaker, so you can focus on the pitch movement.

Tone 1: high

shī

High and level. Listen for a steady pitch that stays up rather than climbing or dropping.

Tone 2: rising

shí

Rising. The pitch moves upward from a middle starting point toward a higher ending.

Tone 3: low / dipping

shǐ

Low or dipping. In an isolated syllable, listen for the voice to drop low before it may rise again.

Tone 4: falling

shì

Falling. The pitch starts high and drops sharply toward the bottom of the speaker’s range.

How should I practice Mandarin tones?

Start a practice round above and listen before choosing a tone. Your first answer counts toward your accuracy. After answering, tap the tone cards to compare the same syllable and voice, then move to the next sound. After five answers, you can try a 10-sound listening test.

What is the difference between tones 2 and 3?

Compare shí and shǐ above. Listen to the whole contour: tone 2 rises, while tone 3 reaches a low pitch. In connected speech, tone 3 often stays low without a full final rise. Before another third tone, it changes to a rising tone. This trainer focuses on individual syllables.

Does Mandarin have a fifth tone?

Mandarin also has a light, unstressed neutral tone, usually written without a pinyin tone mark. Its pitch depends on what comes before it. These exercises cover the four main tones; neutral tone and tone changes in phrases are useful next steps.

Can I practice without reading Chinese?

Yes. Listen and choose the pitch shape you hear. Turn on pinyin or zhuyin labels if they help, or leave them off to focus on listening. For more practice, try our free Mandarin learning games.

Recordings: Tone Perfect, Michigan State University Libraries. Further reading: Mandarin tone basics and third tones in connected speech.