Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
The four tones in Mandarin Chinese refer to different pitch patterns used when pronouncing syllables. Each tone has a distinct pitch contour and can change the meaning of a word.
Related terms
Tone Sandhi: Tone Sandhi is the phenomenon where tones change based on their position in a sentence or phrase.
Neutral Tone: The neutral tone is often considered as the fifth tone in Mandarin Chinese. It has no fixed pitch contour and usually occurs on weak syllables.
Tonal Languages: Tonal languages are languages where differences in pitch contours can distinguish between different words or meanings.