Pinyin Lesson 10

Change of tone

• The tone of a word sometimes changes when used in a sentence, depending on the tone of the word that precedes or comes after it.

Rule 1

• If a 3rd tone is followed by a 3rd tone, the first 3rd tone becomes a 2nd tone (3+3 → 2+3).

Example:

nǐ hǎo → ní hǎo (hello) hěn hǎo → hén hǎo (very good)hǎo jiǔ → háo jiǔ (good wine)shuǐ ɡuǒ → shuí ɡuǒ (fruit)

• Note: The word is still written with two third tones, although the first syllable is read in second tone.

Rule 2

• The word bù 不（ no; not ） has the 4th tone, but when it is followed by another 4th tone, it becomes 2nd tone. (4+4 → 2+4)

Example: bù cuò → bú cuò (not bad)bù qù → bú qù (not go)bù duì → bú duì (wrong)bù dàn → bú dàn (not only)

• Note: To simplify, “ 不” is marked in the fourth tone “bù” in Chinese dictionary entries. In Chinese textbooks, on the other hand, it is marked according to the actual pronunciation.

Rule 3

• Rules concerning the word yī 一 （ one):

1. The word yī 一 （ one ） is 1st tone when:①yī comes at the end of a word.

Example:wàn yī : in casewéi yī : only

②it acts as an ordinal number to indicate the number “one.”

Example:yī bān : Class One yī nián jí : Grade Oneyī hào : the first day of month dì yī mínɡ : the first place

2.yī is pronounced with 4th tone when preceding 1st, 2nd, or 3rd tones. （ yī → yì ）Example:

yī tiān → yì tiān (one day)yī zhí → yì zhí (always)yī bǎi → yì bǎi (hundred)

3.yī is pronounced with 2nd tone when preceding a 4th tone. （ yī → yí)

Example:

yī cì → yí cì (one time, once)yī ɡònɡ → yí ɡònɡ (altogether)yī wàn → yí wàn (ten thousand)