Chinese tone trainer
Hear a syllable said by a native speaker and pick its tone, then practise the ones you keep getting wrong.
Tones
Keep at least two. Tones 2 and 3 are the pair most learners mix up.
Syllables
Syllables per round
566 recordings by a native speaker. Common syllables are those of HSK 1–3 characters.
Tone trainer
You’ll hear a syllable. Pick the tone you heard.
Turn your sound on.
Next: HSK flashcards · Pinyin tone marks · Chinese stroke order
Report a problem with this tool
How to use Tone trainer
Choose what to practise
Keep all four tones, or just the ones you confuse, such as 2 and 3. Pick common syllables or all of them, and how many to a round.
Listen and pick a tone
Each syllable plays by itself. Pick tone 1, 2, 3 or 4 with a tap or the number keys, and play it again as often as you like.
Compare and practise
When you get one wrong, play the right tone and the one you picked side by side. At the end, see which tones you mix up and practise the syllables you miss most.
Why use Utils365
Real recordings
Every syllable is a recording of a native speaker, not a computer voice, so the tones sound the way you'll hear them.
See which tones you mix up
A grid of the tone you heard against the tone you picked shows your pattern at a glance, such as hearing tone 2 as tone 3.
Practise your weak spots
Syllables you miss come back later in the round, and your hardest ones are kept so you can practise them again in every tone.
Short rounds, any device
Ten, twenty or fifty syllables a round, on a phone or a computer, with nothing to install and no sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
What are the four tones in Mandarin?
Tone 1 is high and level (mā), tone 2 rises (má), tone 3 dips low and may rise again (mǎ), and tone 4 falls sharply (mà). The same letters in a different tone are a different word: 妈 mother, 麻 hemp, 马 horse, 骂 to scold.
How do I get better at hearing tones?
Practise a little every day, and when you get one wrong, play the right tone next to the one you picked. Start with all four, then practise just the tones you mix up most, often 2 and 3.
Why do I mix up tones 2 and 3?
Both go up at the end, and a third tone said quickly often loses its dip. Listen for where it starts: tone 2 starts in the middle and rises; tone 3 starts low and stays low for longer.
What does Show the letters do?
It shows the syllable without its tone, such as ma, so you only have to judge the tone. Turn it off for a harder test, closer to listening to real speech.
What counts as a common syllable?
Common syllables are the readings of the characters in HSK levels 1 to 3, the ones beginners meet first. All adds every other recording.
Is my progress saved?
The syllables you miss are kept in your browser on this device, so your hardest ones are ready next time. You can reset them at any time.
Is it free?
Yes. There’s no sign-up, no limit and nothing to install.