Difference between revisions of "Tone changes for third tones"

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{{AKA|tone sandhi|变调规则 (biàndiào guīzé)}}
 
{{AKA|tone sandhi|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.
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== Tone Change Rule for Consecutive Third Tones ==
 
 
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) ==
 
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
When followed by a 4th tone, 不 (bù) changes to 2nd tone ().
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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”).
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== Examples ===
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This rule applies to words as well as phrases. It even applies to what was probably the first word you ever learned in Chinese!
 
 
Remember, '''normally you do not write the tone change'''. We're just doing it here to make it extra clear.
 
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* <em>不</em>是 <span class="pinyin"><em>bú</em> shì</span> <span class="trans">not be</span>
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* 你好 <span class="pinyin"><em></em>hǎo</span> <span class="trans">hi</span>
* <em>不</em>对 <span class="pinyin"><em>bú</em> duì</span> <span class="trans">not right</span>
 
* <em>不</em>要 <span class="pinyin"><em>bú</em> yào</span> <span class="trans">not want</span>
 
* <em>不</em>做 <span class="pinyin"><em>bú</em> zuò</span> <span class="trans">not do</span>
 
* <em>不</em>去 <span class="pinyin"><em></em> </span> <span class="trans">not go</span>
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== Exceptions ===
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== Examples ==
  
There are no exceptions to this rule. Just remember that it '''only''' applies to the ''character'' 不 (bù), and it's still ''written'' "bù."
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Remember, '''normally you do not write the tone change'''. We're just doing it here to make it extra clear.
  
== Tone Changes for 一 (yī) ==
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Here are examples of individual words composed of two third tones:
  
<div class="jiegou">
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<table class="table table-striped table-bordered table-hover">
When followed by a 4th tone, 一 (yī) changes to 2nd tone ().<br />
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<tr>
When followed by any other tone, 一 (yī) changes to 4th tone (yì).
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        <th width="8%">Audio</th>
</div>
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<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|ke3yi3|a2-tone-changes}}</td>
 +
<td>可以</td>
 +
<td>kěyǐ</td>
 +
<td><em>ké</em>yǐ</td>
 +
<td>may, can</td>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
    <td>{{Audio-player|you3dian3r|a2-tone-changes}}</td>
 +
<td>有点儿</td>
 +
<td>yǒudiǎnr</td>
 +
<td><em>yóu</em>diǎnr</td>
 +
<td>a little (too); somewhat</td>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
    <td>{{Audio-player|xiang3fa3|a2-tone-changes}}</td>
 +
<td>想法</td>
 +
<td>xiǎngfǎ</td>
 +
<td><em>xiáng</em>fǎ</td>
 +
<td>idea, thinking</td>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
    <td>{{Audio-player|suo3yi3|a2-tone-changes}}</td>
 +
<td>所以</td>
 +
<td>suǒyǐ</td>
 +
<td><em>suó</em>yǐ</td>
 +
<td>so, therefore</td>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
    <td>{{Audio-player|lao3ban3|a2-tone-changes}}</td>
 +
<td>老板</td>
 +
<td>lǎobǎn</td>
 +
<td><em>láo</em>bǎn</td>
 +
<td>boss</td>
 +
</tr>
 +
</table>
  
=== Examples ===
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Here are examples of two simple third-tone words which result in a tone change when combined:
  
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|hen3hao3|a2-tone-changes}}</td>
 +
<td>很 好</td>
 +
<td>hěn hǎo</td>
 +
<td><em>hén</em> hǎo</td>
 +
<td>very good</td>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
    <td>{{Audio-player|hen3xiao3|a2-tone-changes}}</td>
 +
<td>很 小</td>
 +
<td>hěn xiǎo</td>
 +
<td><em>hén</em> xiǎo</td>
 +
<td>very small</td>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
    <td>{{Audio-player|hen3zao3|a2-tone-changes}}</td>
 +
<td>很 早</td>
 +
<td>hěn zǎo</td>
 +
<td><em>hén</em> zǎo</td>
 +
<td>very early</td>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
    <td>{{Audio-player|hen3shao3|a2-tone-changes}}</td>
 +
<td>很 少</td>
 +
<td>hěn shǎo</td>
 +
<td><em>hén</em> shǎo</td>
 +
<td>very few; rarely</td>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
    <td>{{Audio-player|hen3yuan3|a2-tone-changes}}</td>
 +
<td>很 远</td>
 +
<td>hěn yuǎn</td>
 +
<td><em>hén</em> yuǎn</td>
 +
<td>very far</td>
 +
</tr>
 +
</table>
  
<div class="liju">
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For more examples of this 3-3 type, see also [[tone pair 3-3]].
* <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 ===
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== Multiple Consecutive Third Tones ==
  
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")
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The smart students always ask, "OK, so what happens when there are a bunch of 3rd tones in a row?" This is an excellent question!
  
<div class="liju">
+
In theory, ''all'' third tones would become second tone except for the very last one. In practice, such a "string" of third tones doesn't usually go beyond three in a row. This is because in natural speech multiple third tones in a row will usually broken up by pauses. In this case, the last word/character in each "group" will be pronounced as a third tone.
* <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 ==
+
So, in theory, it would go like this:
  
<div class="jiegou">
+
<div class="liju">
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”).
+
* 3-3-3-3-3-3 &rarr; <em>2-2-2-2-2</em>-3
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== Examples ===
+
In practice, it usually goes something like this:
 
 
Remember, '''normally you do not write the tone change'''. We're just doing it here to make it extra clear.
 
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 你好 <span class="pinyin"><em>ní</em>hǎo</span> <span class="trans">hi</span>
+
* 3-3-3-3-3-3 &rarr; <em>2-2</em>-3, <em>2-2</em>-3
* 很 好 <span class="pinyin"><em>hén</em> hǎo</span> <span class="trans">very good</span>
 
* 可以 <span class="pinyin"><em>ké</em>yǐ</span> <span class="trans">can, may</span>
 
* 所以 <span class="pinyin"><em>suó</em>yǐ</span> <span class="trans">so, therefore</span>
 
* 语法 <span class="pinyin"><em></em>fǎ</span> <span class="trans">grammar</span>
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== Exceptions ===
+
Beginners should not worry about this, as lots of third tones in a row is not super common.
 
 
While not exactly an "exception," sometimes multiple third tones in a row will be broken up by pauses. In this case, the last word/character in each "group" will be pronounced as a third tone. Beginners should not worry about this, as lots of third tones in a row is not super common.
 
  
 
== Why Tone Changes Are Not Written ==
 
== Why Tone Changes Are Not Written ==
Line 99: Line 145:
  
 
* 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]
 +
 +
{{Number in Series|1|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|XXXXX}}
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{{Basic Pronunciation|A2|20|For example: 你好 (níhǎo), 很好 (hén hǎo), 可以 (kéyǐ)|tone|ASPFF96A}}
 
{{Related|Four tones}}
 
{{Related|Four tones}}
 
{{Related|Tone pair}}
 
{{Related|Tone pair}}
 +
{{Related|Tone pair 3-3}}

Latest revision as of 09:03, 24 April 2020

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

Tone Change Rule for Consecutive 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”).

This rule applies to words as well as phrases. It even applies to what was probably the first word you ever learned in Chinese!

  • 你好 hǎo hi

Examples

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

Here are examples of individual words composed of two third tones:

Audio Chinese We Write We Say English
可以 kěyǐ may, can
有点儿 yǒudiǎnr yóudiǎnr a little (too); somewhat
想法 xiǎngfǎ xiáng idea, thinking
所以 suǒyǐ suó so, therefore
老板 lǎobǎn láobǎn boss

Here are examples of two simple third-tone words which result in a tone change when combined:

Audio Chinese We Write We Say English
很 好 hěn hǎo hén hǎo very good
很 小 hěn xiǎo hén xiǎo very small
很 早 hěn zǎo hén zǎo very early
很 少 hěn shǎo hén shǎo very few; rarely
很 远 hěn yuǎn hén yuǎn very far

For more examples of this 3-3 type, see also tone pair 3-3.

Multiple Consecutive Third Tones

The smart students always ask, "OK, so what happens when there are a bunch of 3rd tones in a row?" This is an excellent question!

In theory, all third tones would become second tone except for the very last one. In practice, such a "string" of third tones doesn't usually go beyond three in a row. This is because in natural speech multiple third tones in a row will usually broken up by pauses. In this case, the last word/character in each "group" will be pronounced as a third tone.

So, in theory, it would go like this:

  • 3-3-3-3-3-3 → 2-2-2-2-2-3

In practice, it usually goes something like this:

  • 3-3-3-3-3-3 → 2-2-3, 2-2-3

Beginners should not worry about this, as lots of third tones in a row is not super common.

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