Tone Production: Four Tones, Neutral Tone, and Stable Pitch Targets

Tones Are Pitch Movement, Not Stress

Mandarin tones are changes in pitch (how high or low your voice is), not changes in loudness, force, or emotion. If you “hit” a syllable harder, you may sound clear to yourself but unclear to listeners because the pitch target is missing or unstable.

Think of each tone as a repeatable pitch path you can aim for. Your job is to (1) choose a comfortable pitch range, (2) learn stable targets inside that range, and (3) reproduce those targets consistently across syllables and words.

Create Your Personal Pitch Range Scale (1–5)

Use a simple 1–5 scale where 1 is your comfortable low pitch and 5 is your comfortable high pitch. This is not about singing; it’s about finding a reliable speaking range.

• Step A (find 3): Say “mm-hmm” naturally. The pitch you land on is often near your 3.
• Step B (find 1): From 3, glide down until you reach the lowest pitch you can speak clearly without vocal fry or strain. That’s your 1.
• Step C (find 5): From 3, glide up until you reach the highest pitch you can speak clearly without squeezing. That’s your 5.
• Step D (stabilize): Practice holding 1, 3, and 5 on a long m sound: mmmm. Keep volume steady; only pitch changes.

Use this scale to describe tones in a way that fits your voice.

The Four Tones as Stable Pitch Targets

Below are practical pitch targets using the 1–5 scale. Exact numbers vary by speaker; what matters is that the shape and relative height are consistent.

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Important: you can keep your voice relaxed while still making strong pitch movement. “Strong tone” means clear pitch target, not loudness.

How to Train Each Tone: 3-Step Progression

For each tone, you will train it in three layers: (1) sustained target → (2) syllable-level tone → (3) word-level tone. Do not skip the sustained step; it builds pitch stability.

1st Tone (High Level): 5 → 5

Step 1: Sustained target

• Hold a steady high pitch on mmm for 2–3 seconds: mmm(5).
• Repeat 5 times. Your goal: no downward drift.

Step 2: Syllable-level tone

• Say ma as a long, level tone: mā (keep it steady, not “sung”).
• Practice: mā mā mā with identical pitch each time.

Step 3: Word-level tone

• Use a simple 1st-tone word and keep the tone stable across normal speed: mā (as in māma first syllable), tiān, yī (when 1st tone).
• Practice phrase rhythm without losing the level pitch: mā zài nǎr? (focus on keeping mā level).

2nd Tone (Rising): 3 → 5

Step 1: Sustained targets

• Hold 3 on mmm for 1 second, then glide to 5 over 1 second: mmm(3→5).
• Repeat slowly first; then shorten the glide while keeping the same start and end.

Step 2: Syllable-level tone

• Say má with an early rise (don’t wait until the end): má.
• Contrast drill: mā (level) vs má (rising). Keep volume the same.

Step 3: Word-level tone

• Practice common 2nd-tone words: míng, lái, shí.
• Mini-pattern: ask a yes/no question with a 2nd-tone word and keep the rise clear: lái ma? (focus on lái rising).

3rd Tone (Low/Dipping): 2 → 1 → 2 (full) / often 2 → 1 (spoken)

In careful practice, you can train the full dip. In normal speech, the 3rd tone is often a low tone that may not fully rise at the end unless it’s emphasized or at the end of a phrase.

Step 1: Sustained low target

• Hold 1 on mmm for 2 seconds: mmm(1).
• Keep it clean: no creaky voice, no strain. If 1 is too low, use a comfortable “low” like 1.5.

Step 2: Syllable-level tone

• Full practice version: mǎ with a gentle dip: start around 2, touch 1, return toward 2.
• Spoken version: make it a controlled low tone: mǎ as 2→1 (no need to “bounce up”).

Step 3: Word-level tone

• Practice low stability in common words: hǎo, wǒ, xiǎng.
• Phrase practice (keep 3rd tone low, not loud): wǒ hǎo (focus on both syllables staying low and clear).

4th Tone (Falling): 5 → 1

Step 1: Sustained targets

• Start at 5 on mmm, then drop quickly to 1 and hold 1 briefly: mmm(5→1...).
• Make the endpoint real: you should feel you “arrive” at low pitch, not just get quieter.

Step 2: Syllable-level tone

• Say mà with a decisive fall: mà.
• Contrast drill: má (rise) vs mà (fall). Same volume, opposite pitch direction.

Step 3: Word-level tone

• Practice common 4th-tone words: shì, yào, xiè.
• Short command-style practice (without shouting): yào! Keep it falling, not louder.

Neutral Tone: Reduced, Short, and Dependent

The neutral tone (often written with no tone mark) is not “tone 5.” It is shorter, lighter, and its pitch is determined by the tone before it. You don’t aim for a fixed 1–5 target; you aim for a quick, reduced syllable that “leans” on the previous tone.

How Neutral Tone Behaves After Each Tone

Neutral Tone in Common Words

1) māma (妈妈)

• Pattern: mā (1st tone) + ma (neutral)
• Practice: make the first syllable steady high (5→5), then make the second syllable short and slightly lower, without adding a full tone: mā·ma.
• Drill: mā (hold) → mā·ma (shorten second) → mā·ma zài nǎr?

2) xièxie (谢谢)

• Pattern: xiè (4th tone) + xie (neutral)
• Practice: make xiè a clear fall (5→1), then keep xie short and light, not another full 4th tone: xiè·xie.
• Common fix: if you say xièxiè with two strong falls, reduce the second syllable by cutting its length in half and relaxing pitch movement.

3) zhīdào (知道)

• In careful speech, both syllables often carry full tones: zhī (1st) + dào (4th).
• In fast casual speech, the second syllable may sound reduced in some contexts, but it is commonly taught and pronounced as full 4th tone. Use this word to practice a different skill: keeping tone targets stable across a two-syllable word.
• Practice: zhī steady high, then dào decisive fall: zhī dào → wǒ zhīdào (keep the fall clear even when faster).

Tone Anchoring: From Contour to Speech

When a tone feels slippery, anchor it in three stages: hum → vowel-only → full syllable. This reduces consonant complexity so you can lock in pitch first.

Exercise Set A: Single-Tone Anchors (Use “ma”)

• 1) Hum the contour: mmm with the tone shape (e.g., 2nd tone: mmm(3→5)).
• 2) Vowel-only: switch to a only: ā á ǎ à (one at a time, slow).
• 3) Full syllable: add the consonant: mā má mǎ mà.

Keep each repetition identical. If the pitch drifts, go back one step (often humming) and rebuild stability.

Exercise Set B: Two-Syllable Anchors (Tone + Neutral)

Use the same three anchors, but treat the neutral syllable as a quick release.

• māma: hum mmm(5→5) then a short relaxed hum; vowel-only ā·a; full mā·ma.
• xièxie: hum mmm(5→1) then a short relaxed hum; vowel-only è·e; full xiè·xie.

Quick Self-Checks (Make Feedback Immediate)

1) Recording Playback (Fastest Reality Check)

• Record 10 repetitions of one target (e.g., mā or xiè·xie).
• Listen for consistency: do they sound like the same tone each time?
• Listen for pitch vs volume: if some repetitions are “stronger” only because they are louder, redo them at a softer, steady volume.

2) Pitch Contour Visualization (Optional)

If you use a pitch-tracking tool, look for the overall shape rather than perfect smoothness.

• 1st tone: mostly flat line at the top of your range.
• 2nd tone: clear upward slope.
• 3rd tone: low region; may dip then slightly rise in careful speech.
• 4th tone: steep downward slope with a clear low endpoint.
• Neutral: short, reduced trace that follows the preceding tone’s “landing zone.”

3) Intelligibility Checks with Short Q/A Exchanges

Use tiny dialogues to test whether your tones carry meaning at normal speed. Record both lines. Keep consonants and vowels normal; focus on tone targets.

If a listener (or your future self on playback) hesitates or mishears, slow down and return to the three-step progression for the tone that broke first.