Tone pair 3-4
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Level
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In series Tone pairs
- 1. Tone pair 1-1
- 2. Tone pair 1-2
- 3. Tone pair 1-3
- 4. Tone pair 1-4
- 5. Tone pair 1-0
- 6. Tone pair 2-1
- 7. Tone pair 2-2
- 8. Tone pair 2-3
- 9. Tone pair 2-4
- 10. Tone pair 2-0
- 11. Tone pair 3-1
- 12. Tone pair 3-2
- 13. Tone pair 3-3
- 14. Tone pair 3-4
- 15. Tone pair 3-0
- 16. Tone pair 4-1
- 17. Tone pair 4-2
- 18. Tone pair 4-3
- 19. Tone pair 4-4
- 20. Tone pair 4-0
This page will cover some examples of the 3-4 tone pair, which Sinosplice rates as a "5" on a difficulty rating of 1-7 (easiest to hardest).
Practice this tone pair using the words below. Once you can say them reliable in isolation (as just a tone pair), try putting them in longer sentences while keeping the tones accurate.
Contents
3-4 Tone Pair Diagram
It helps many learners to see the two tones side by side.
One point to note here, though, is that the third tone in this context doesn't actually rise much. It's more important that the third tone be low. Focus on the lowness of the third tone in this pair rather than the rise, and your pronunciation will sound much better. Pay attention to this when you listen to the audio examples on this page.
3-4 Tone Pair Words (A2)
If you're just getting started with tone pairs, these simple two-syllable words and phrases are a good place to start. If these are too easy, you may want to move onto the longer (B1) phrases below.
| Audio | Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 以后 | yǐhòu | after, later on | |
| 早饭 | zǎofàn | breakfast | |
| 晚饭 | wǎnfàn | dinner | |
| 走路 | zǒulù | to walk | |
| 好看 | hǎokàn | good-looking |
Source: AllSet Learning's "Tone Pair" Pronunciation Pack (used with permission)
3-4 Tone Pair Phrases (B1)
| Audio | Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 买早饭 | mǎi zǎofàn | to buy breakfast | |
| 做晚饭 | zuò wǎnfàn | to make dinner | |
| 不好看 | bù hǎokàn | not attractive | |
| 很可爱 | hěn kě'ài | very cute | |
| 想要走路 | xiǎng yào zǒulù | to want to walk |
Source: AllSet Learning's "Tone Pair" Pronunciation Pack (used with permission)
3-4 Tone Pair Combos
| Audio | Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| (coming) | 很贵 | hěn guì | very expensive |
| (coming) | 很快 | hěn kuài | very fast |
| (coming) | 很慢 | hěn màn | very slow |
| (coming) | 很热 | hěn rè | very hot |
| (coming) | 很饿 | hěn è | very hungry |
Source: Sinosplice's Mandarin Chinese Tone Pair Drills (used with permission)
Sources and further reading
Videos
- AllSet Learning video on YouTube: Chinese Pronunciation Practice: A2 Tone Pair 3-4
- AllSet Learning video on YouTube: Chinese Pronunciation Practice: B1 Tone Pair 3-4
Websites
- Sinosplice: The Process Of Learning Tones
- Sinosplice: Mandarin Chinese Tone Pair Drills, New Feature: Mandarin Chinese Tone Pair Drills
- Hacking Chinese: Focusing on tone pairs to improve your Mandarin pronunciation
- About.com: How tone pairs can improve your Mandarin pronunciation
