Difference between revisions of "Tone change rules"

 
(21 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 3: Line 3:
  
 
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 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.
 +
 +
== Three Essential Tone Change Rules ==
  
 
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 不 (bù) ==
+
Each of these three must-know tone change rules has its own page:
  
<div class="jiegou">
+
<div class="points-big">
When followed by a 4th tone, 不 (bù) changes to 2nd tone ().
+
<ol>
</div>
+
<li><strong>[[Tone changes for third tones|Tone Changes for Third Tones]]</strong>
 +
<p>When a 3rd tone (such as “yě”) is followed by another 3rd tone in a group, the first 3rd tone changes to a 2nd tone (such as “yé”).</p></li>
  
=== Examples ===
+
<li><strong>[[Tone changes for "bu"|Tone changes for "bù" (不)]]</strong>
 +
<p>When followed by a 4th tone, 不 (bù) changes to 2nd tone (bú).</p></li>
  
不是、不对、不要、不做、不去
+
<li><strong>[[Tone changes for "yi"|Tone changes for "yī" (一)]]</strong>
 
+
<p>When followed by a 4th tone, (yī) changes to 2nd tone ().
=== Exceptions ===
+
When followed by any other tone, (yī) changes to 4th tone ().</p></li></ol>
 
 
没有例外,其他的都读第四声。
 
 
 
== Tone Changes for 一 (yī) ==
 
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
When followed by a 4th tone, (yī) changes to 4th tone ().<br />
 
When followed by any other tone, (yī) changes to 2nd tone ().
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== Examples ===
+
As you may have guessed, a quick reading of these rules is not going to be enough. You need to really dig into each one, see lots of examples, and ''hear'' examples of the changes. That's why each of the rules above is its own pronunciation point. Each one needs to be carefully studied and practiced.
  
Remember, '''normally you do not write the tone change'''. We're just doing it here to make it extra clear.
+
== Why Tone Changes Are Not Written ==
 
 
<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>样 <span class="pinyin"><em>yí</em>yàng</span> <span class="trans">the same</span>
 
* <em>一</em>起 <span class="pinyin"><em>yì</em>qǐ</span> <span class="trans">together</span>
 
* <em>一</em>百<span class="pinyin"><em>yì</em>bǎi</span> <span class="trans">one hundred</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>
 
</div>
 
 
 
=== Exceptions ===
 
  
<div class="liju">
+
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.
* <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>
 
* 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>
 
* 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>
 
* 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>
 
* <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>
 
  
== Tone Changes for Multiple Third Tones ==
+
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!
  
<div class="jiegou">
+
== An Alternative Way to Indicate Tone Changes ==
When a 3rd tone (e.g. “yě”) is followed by another 3rd tone in a group, the first 3rd tone changes to a 2nd tone (e.g. “yé”).
 
</div>
 
 
 
=== Examples ===
 
 
 
你好、很好、可以、语法、所以
 
 
 
=== Exceptions ===
 
 
 
special groupings
 
 
 
== 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!
+
Some textbooks or software (such as [http://www.wenlin.com 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 ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==

Latest revision as of 01:31, 24 April 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.

Three Essential Tone Change Rules

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.

Each of these three must-know tone change rules has its own page:

  1. Tone Changes for Third Tones

    When a 3rd tone (such as “yě”) is followed by another 3rd tone in a group, the first 3rd tone changes to a 2nd tone (such as “yé”).

  2. Tone changes for "bù" (不)

    When followed by a 4th tone, 不 (bù) changes to 2nd tone (bú).

  3. Tone changes for "yī" (一)

    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).

As you may have guessed, a quick reading of these rules is not going to be enough. You need to really dig into each one, see lots of examples, and hear examples of the changes. That's why each of the rules above is its own pronunciation point. Each one needs to be carefully studied and practiced.

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