When a syllable of Chinese is pronounced in different tones, it has different meanings, for example, da1 (to put up), da2 (to answer), da3 (to beat), da4 (big).

The most difficult part for a foreigner learning Chinese is, perhaps, its tones. Yet it need not be so difficult to learn them, since there are only four basic tones in Chinese.

Now listen to this:

a1 - a2 - a3 - a4

e1 - e2 - e3 - e4

you1 - you2 - you3 - you4

wang1 - wang2 - wang3 - wang4

yuan1 - yuan2 - yuan3 - yuan4

Now you probably have some idea of what the four tones in Chinese are like. However, there is something more you should know: in addition to the four basic tones, there is one special and important change of tone called the neutral tone. The neutral tone is not an independent element that stands by itself; it occurs only in connection with and related to the tone preceding it. But that does not necessarily mean that this neutral tone is less important than the other four tones, since you will never be able to speak Chinese accurately and with a natural flow if you don't know where to use a neutral tone in your speech.

Now please listen to this - A neutral tone following a first, second, third or fourth tone sounds like this:

ma1ma (mother); bo1li (glass); ta1 ne (how about him);

ye2ye (grandfather); bie2de (else); lai2 le (coming);

jie3jie (elder sister); san3zi (voice); zou3 ba (let's go);

Xie4xie (thanks); mu4tou (wood); lei4 ma ([you're] tired?)

Please note that, for a neutral tone, no tone-mark is needed.

Here are the main characteristics of each tone: Tone 1 is a high level pitch; Tone 2 is a rising pitch; Tone 3 is a low dipping pitch; Tone 4 is a falling pitch. When practising, please note that if there are two Tone 3 syllables in the same tone combination, the first syllable should be articulated in Tone 2 instead of Tone 3. The neutral tone is short and unstressed.