Tone Changes in Context

Mandarin Chinese tones shape meaning, but tones sometimes shift in natural speech due to phonetic and rhythmic patterns. This guide shows the main tone change rules with short examples to help you sound more fluent and natural.

3rd Tone (Tone 3) Changes

The classic tone change happens when two 3rd tones (三声 sān shēng) come together: the first 3rd tone becomes 2nd tone (二声 èr shēng) to ease pronunciation. So nǐ hǎo 你好 is really ní hǎo 你好 in speech.

Examples

2nd Tone (Tone 2) and 3rd Tone (Tone 3) Pairs

When a 2nd tone (二声 èr shēng) is followed by a 3rd tone (三声 sān shēng), both tones usually keep their original contour, so no change is needed and the phrase sounds clear.

Examples

1st Tone (Tone 1) and 3rd Tone (Tone 3) Pairs

A 1st tone (一声 yī shēng) followed by a 3rd tone (三声 sān shēng) normally stays the same, making the phrase steady and easy to hear.

Examples

"不" (bù) and "一" (yī) Tone Changes

The word bù 不 changes to 2nd tone (bú) when followed by another 4th tone (四声 sì shēng) to keep the speech smooth. Similarly, yī 一 changes tone based on the tone of the following syllable: it becomes 2nd tone (yí), 4th tone (yì), or stays 1st tone (yī) to fit the rhythm.

bù 不 Change

yī 一 Change

Neutral Tone (轻声) and Its Effects

Neutral tone (轻声 qīng shēng) is unstressed and short, often appearing in particles and common endings. It makes speech sound natural and fast. When a syllable becomes neutral tone, it loses its full pitch and blends smoothly with the preceding syllable.