Chinese Pronunciation and Tones: Free PDF and Flashcards

Mastering Chinese tones can feel like learning to sing a language before you speak it. This list of around 160 pronunciation essentials breaks down the four tones, the neutral tone, and common tone-change rules so you stop guessing and start sounding clear.

Each entry pairs a straightforward meaning with a practical example sentence, showing you exactly how the tone or sound pattern works in a real Chinese sentence. No dusty theory – just the patterns that show up when you order food, ask directions, or chat with friends.

Ready to make those tones less mysterious and a lot more friendly? Scroll to the bottom of this article for the free printable Chinese Pronunciation and Tones vocabulary list PDF and the free downloadable printable Chinese Pronunciation and Tones flashcards.

Use this list as a starting point, then keep going in the Yak Yacker Chinese section for more words, phrases, and study-friendly reference pages.

Quick Quiz

Think you can tell your má (hemp) from your mǎ (horse)? Take the quick quiz below to see how many tone patterns you’ve really locked in.

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Browse the Full List

Word	Pinyin	Type	Meaning	Example
雨	yǔ	noun	rain	外面下雨了。
雪	xuě	noun	snow	冬天会下雪。
面包	miànbāo	noun	bread	我吃面包。
音乐	yīnyuè	noun	music	我喜欢听音乐。
风	fēng	noun	wind	今天风很大。
飞机	fēi jī	noun	airplane	我坐飞机去北京。
饭店	fàndiàn	noun	restaurant	我们去饭店吃饭。 (We go to a restaurant to eat.) 这家饭店的菜很好吃。 (This restaurant's food is delicious.)
香蕉	xiāngjiāo	noun	banana	香蕉是黄色的。 (Xiāngjiāo shì huángsè de.) — Bananas are yellow.
高兴	gāoxìng	adjective	happy, glad	我很高兴。
鸡蛋	jīdàn	noun	egg	我早餐吃了一个鸡蛋。

Free Chinese Pronunciation and Tones Vocabulary List PDF and Flashcards

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