How to pronounce
in Mandarin Chinese
zìFourth toneláiSecond toneshuǐThird tone
Hear it in conversation
，。
guān关yú于shuǐ水。rú如guǒ果nǐ你de的zì自lái来shuǐ水shì是kě可yǐ以zhí直jiē接饮yòng用de的，nà那me么tā它lǐ里miàn面hěn很kě可néng能hán含yǒu有lǜ氯。
zì自lái来shuǐ水jiē接dào到bō玻li璃píng瓶lǐ里fàng放zài在tài太yang阳dǐ底xia下shài晒yī一shài晒，dì第èr二tiān天zài再ná拿lái来yòng用。
Select a word for its meaning.
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.