Difference between revisions of "Tone changes for "yi""
 
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There are three main tone change rules that every learner needs to know. These rules are not normally reflected in the tone marks of pinyin; ''you just have to know them''.
 
There are three main tone change rules that every learner needs to know. These rules are not normally reflected in the tone marks of pinyin; ''you just have to know them''.
  
−
== Tone Changes for 一 (yī) ==
+
== Tone Change Rule for 一 (yī) ==
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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</div>
 
</div>
  
−
=== Examples ===
+
== Examples of the 1→2 Tone Change ==
  
−
Remember, '''normally you do not write the tone change'''. We're just doing it here to make it extra clear.
+
Remember, '''normally you do not write the tone change'''. We're just doing it here (and also highlighting it where it happens) to make it extra clear.
  
 +
<table class="table table-striped table-bordered table-hover">
 +
<tr>
 +
        <th width="8%">Audio</th>
 +
<th width="20%">Chinese</th>
 +
<th width="20%">We Write</th>
 +
<th width="20%">We Say</th>
 +
<th width="32%">English</th>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
    <td>{{Audio-player|yi1ge4|a2-tone-changes}}</td>
 +
<td>一 个</td>
 +
<td>yī gè</td>
 +
<td><em>yí</em> gè</td>
 +
<td>one (of something)</td>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
    <td>{{Audio-player|yi1xia4|a2-tone-changes}}</td>
 +
<td>一下</td>
 +
<td>yīxià</td>
 +
<td><em>yí</em>xià</td>
 +
<td>[after a verb] quickly, briefly, casually</td>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
    <td>{{Audio-player|yi1ban4|a2-tone-changes}}</td>
 +
<td>一半</td>
 +
<td>yībàn</td>
 +
<td><em>yí</em>bàn</td>
 +
<td>one half</td>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
    <td>{{Audio-player|yi1ci4|a2-tone-changes}}</td>
 +
<td>一 次</td>
 +
<td>yī cì</td>
 +
<td><em>yí</em> cì</td>
 +
<td>first; first time; once; (math.) linear (of degree one)</td>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
    <td>{{Audio-player|yi1yang4|a2-tone-changes}}</td>
 +
<td>一样</td>
 +
<td>yīyàng</td>
 +
<td><em>yí</em>yàng</td>
 +
<td>the same (as)</td>
 +
</tr>
 +
</table><!--
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
* <em>一</em>个 <span class="pinyin"><em>yí</em>gè</span> <span class="trans">one (of something)</span>
 
* <em>一</em>个 <span class="pinyin"><em>yí</em>gè</span> <span class="trans">one (of something)</span>
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* <em>一</em>千 <span class="pinyin"><em>yì</em>qiān</span> <span class="trans">one thousand</span>
 
* <em>一</em>千 <span class="pinyin"><em>yì</em>qiān</span> <span class="trans">one thousand</span>
 
* <em>一</em>直 <span class="pinyin"><em>yì</em>zhí</span> <span class="trans">straight; all along</span>
 
* <em>一</em>直 <span class="pinyin"><em>yì</em>zhí</span> <span class="trans">straight; all along</span>
−
</div>
+
</div> -->
 +
 
 +
== Examples of the 1→4 Tone Change ==
 +
 
 +
Remember, '''normally you do not write the tone change'''. We're just doing it here to make it extra clear.
 +
 
 +
<table class="table table-striped table-bordered table-hover">
 +
<tr>
 +
        <th width="8%">Audio</th>
 +
<th width="20%">Chinese</th>
 +
<th width="20%">We Write</th>
 +
<th width="20%">We Say</th>
 +
<th width="32%">English</th>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
    <td>{{Audio-player|yi1qi3|a2-tone-changes}}</td>
 +
<td>一起</td>
 +
<td>yīqǐ</td>
 +
<td><em>yì</em>qǐ</td>
 +
<td>together</td>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
    <td>{{Audio-player|yi1dian3|a2-tone-changes}}</td>
 +
<td>一点</td>
 +
<td>yīdiǎn</td>
 +
<td><em>yì</em>diǎn</td>
 +
<td>a bit; a little</td>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
    <td>{{Audio-player|yi1tian1|a2-tone-changes}}</td>
 +
<td>一 天</td>
 +
<td>yī tiān</td>
 +
<td><em>yì</em> tiān</td>
 +
<td>one day</td>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
    <td>{{Audio-player|yi1xie1|a2-tone-changes}}</td>
 +
<td>一些</td>
 +
<td>yīxiē</td>
 +
<td><em>yì</em>xiē</td>
 +
<td>some</td>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
    <td>{{Audio-player|yi1nian2|a2-tone-changes}}</td>
 +
<td>一 年</td>
 +
<td>yī nián</td>
 +
<td><em>yì</em> nián</td>
 +
<td>one year</td>
 +
</tr>
 +
</table>
  
−
=== Exceptions ===
+
== Exceptions ==
  
−
When 一 (yī) appears as a number in a series, larger number, address, or date, it is pronounced without the tone change (regular first tone "yī")  
+
When 一 (yī) appears as an ordinal number (as in "first"), or as a number in a series, address, or date, it is pronounced '''''without'' the tone change''' (regular first tone "yī"). We're highlighting '''where the tone change ''doesn't happen''''' below.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
* <em>一</em> 二 三 四 五<span class="pinyin"><em>yī</em> èr sān sì wǔ</span> <span class="trans">one, two, three, four, five</span>
 
* <em>一</em> 二 三 四 五<span class="pinyin"><em>yī</em> èr sān sì wǔ</span> <span class="trans">one, two, three, four, five</span>
 +
* 第 <em>一</em> 个<span class="pinyin">dì <em>yī</em> ge</span> <span class="trans">the first one</span>
 +
* <em>一</em>月 <span class="pinyin"><em>Yī</em>yuè</span> <span class="trans">January</span>
 +
* 三月 <em>一</em> 号<span class="pinyin">Sānyuè <em>yī</em>hào</span> <span class="trans">March 1st</span>
 
* 0.<em>1</em>2<span class="pinyin">líng diǎn <em>yī</em> èr</span> <span class="trans">zero point one two</span>
 
* 0.<em>1</em>2<span class="pinyin">líng diǎn <em>yī</em> èr</span> <span class="trans">zero point one two</span>
−
* 第 <em>一</em> 个<span class="pinyin">dì <em>yī</em> ge</span> <span class="trans">the first one</span>
+
* 20<em>11</em> 年<span class="pinyin">èr-líng-<em>yī</em>-<em>yī</em> nián</span> <span class="trans">the year two thousand eleven</span>
−
* 一 千 一 百 <em>一</em>十<em>一</em><span class="pinyin">yī qiān yī bǎi <em>yī</em>shí<em>yī</em></span> <span class="trans">one thousand one hundred eleven</span>
 
−
* 20<em>11</em> 年<span class="pinyin">èr líng <em>yī</em> <em>yī</em> nián</span> <span class="trans">the year two thousand eleven</span>
 
 
* <em>一</em> 楼<span class="pinyin"><em>yī</em> lóu</span> <span class="trans">first floor</span>
 
* <em>一</em> 楼<span class="pinyin"><em>yī</em> lóu</span> <span class="trans">first floor</span>
 
* 二 零 <em>一</em> 房间<span class="pinyin">èr líng <em>yī</em> fángjiān</span> <span class="trans">room 201</span>
 
* 二 零 <em>一</em> 房间<span class="pinyin">èr líng <em>yī</em> fángjiān</span> <span class="trans">room 201</span>
−
* <em>一</em>五<em>一</em>十<span class="pinyin">yīwǔyīshí</span> <span class="trans">in full detail [idiom]</span>
 
 
* 周<em>一</em> 到 周五<span class="pinyin">Zhōu<em>yī</em> dào Zhōuwǔ</span> <span class="trans">from Monday to Friday</span>
 
* 周<em>一</em> 到 周五<span class="pinyin">Zhōu<em>yī</em> dào Zhōuwǔ</span> <span class="trans">from Monday to Friday</span>
−
* <em>一</em>月 <span class="pinyin"><em>Yī</em>yuè</span> <span class="trans">January</span>
+
 
−
* 三月 <em>一</em> 号<span class="pinyin">Sānyuè <em>yī</em>hào</span> <span class="trans">March 1st</span>
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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* Wikipedia: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tone_sandhi#Mandarin_Chinese Tone sandhi: Mandarin Chinese]
 
* Wikipedia: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tone_sandhi#Mandarin_Chinese Tone sandhi: Mandarin Chinese]
 +
* Baidu Wenku: [https://wenku.baidu.com/view/4678ae18ad51f01dc281f1e5.html 一的变调]
 +
 +
{{Number in Series|3|Tone change rules}}
  
 
[[Category:Tones]]
 
[[Category:Tones]]
−
{{Basic Pronunciation|A2|20|If you know all 4 tones (plus the neutral tone), then it's time to learn the three big rules about when these tones regularly change.|tone|WWWWW}}
+
{{Basic Pronunciation|A2|20|For example: 一个 (yígè), 一样 (yíyàng), 一起 (yìqǐ)|tone|ASP685F9}}
 
{{Related|Four tones}}
 
{{Related|Four tones}}
 
{{Related|Tone pair}}
 
{{Related|Tone pair}}
 +
{{Related|Tone pair 2-4}}
 +
{{Related|Tone pair 4-1}}
 +
{{Related|Tone pair 4-2}}
 +
{{Related|Tone pair 4-3}}

Latest revision as of 08:58, 18 June 2020

Also known as: tone sandhi and 变调规则 (biàndiào guīzé).

There are certain circumstances under which a Chinese word or character's normal tone will regularly change to a specific different tone. These tone changes (also called tone sandhi) must be learned in order to pronounce Chinese correctly.

There are three main tone change rules that every learner needs to know. These rules are not normally reflected in the tone marks of pinyin; you just have to know them.

Tone Change Rule for 一 (yī)

When followed by a 4th tone, 一 (yī) changes to 2nd tone (yí).
When followed by any other tone, 一 (yī) changes to 4th tone (yì).

Examples of the 1→2 Tone Change

Remember, normally you do not write the tone change. We're just doing it here (and also highlighting it where it happens) to make it extra clear.

Audio Chinese We Write We Say English
一 个 yī gè yí gè one (of something)
一下 yīxià yíxià [after a verb] quickly, briefly, casually
一半 yībàn yíbàn one half
一 次 yī cì yí cì first; first time; once; (math.) linear (of degree one)
一样 yīyàng yíyàng the same (as)

Examples of the 1→4 Tone Change

Remember, normally you do not write the tone change. We're just doing it here to make it extra clear.

Audio Chinese We Write We Say English
一起 yīqǐ yìqǐ together
一点 yīdiǎn yìdiǎn a bit; a little
一 天 yī tiān yì tiān one day
一些 yīxiē yìxiē some
一 年 yī nián yì nián one year

Exceptions

When 一 (yī) appears as an ordinal number (as in "first"), or as a number in a series, address, or date, it is pronounced without the tone change (regular first tone "yī"). We're highlighting where the tone change doesn't happen below.

  • 一 二 三 四 五yī èr sān sì wǔ one, two, three, four, five
  • 第 一 个dì yī ge the first one
  • 一月 Yīyuè January
  • 三月 一 号Sānyuè yīhào March 1st
  • 0.12líng diǎn yī èr zero point one two
  • 2011 年èr-líng-yī-yī nián the year two thousand eleven
  • 一 楼yī lóu first floor
  • 二 零 一 房间èr líng yī fángjiān room 201
  • 周一 到 周五Zhōuyī dào Zhōuwǔ from Monday to Friday

Why Tone Changes Are Not Written

Normally the tone changes above are not written in the pinyin; you are supposed to just know the rule and apply it if you say the word(s) aloud. The reason for this is that in many cases if the tone change is written, you will be confused as to what the “normal” tone of a character is actually supposed to be. For example, you might wonder, “is this a third tone written as a second tone because it’s followed by a third tone, or is this character always a second tone?” Always writing the original tones solves this problem. But it also means that you really need to know your tone change rules. Learn them well!

An Alternative Way to Indicate Tone Changes

Some textbooks or software (such as Wenlin) indicate a tone change with a small dot under the letter with the tone mark. This can be nice for beginners, but it is not part of standard pinyin.

Sources and further reading




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