How to pronounce
in Mandarin Chinese
mìngFourth tonelìngFourth tone
Hear it in conversation
I'm already angry, I'm giving him orders
🕺rú如guǒ果秦始皇xiě写yī一gè个mìng命lìng令
qí其shí实zhè这jù句huà话de的yì意si思shì是gěi给tā他mìng命lìng令
Actually, this sentence means to give him a command
Select a word for its meaning.
See it in a sentence.
。
His word is law.
Hear the difference
A syllable has a shape.
Tone marks show how pitch changes. Colors help you follow each syllable in the app.
ā →First toneHigh and level
á ↗Second toneRising
ǎ ↘↗Third toneLow, then rising in isolation
à ↘Fourth toneFalling
a ·Neutral toneShort and light
These are dictionary tones. In natural speech, tones can change with context. A third tone often stays low before another syllable.