How to say “four (4)” in Chinese
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Word by word
Tone tip
四 (sì, fourth tone) sounds close to 十 (shí, ten) for beginners - listen for the falling tone of sì versus the rising tone of shí. 四 is considered unlucky as it sounds like 死 (sǐ, death).
In a sentence
现在四点了。
Xiànzài sì diǎn le.
It's four o'clock now.
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
How do you say "four (4)" in Chinese?+
"four (4)" in Mandarin Chinese is 四, pronounced sì. 四 (sì, fourth tone) sounds close to 十 (shí, ten) for beginners - listen for the falling tone of sì versus the rising tone of shí. 四 is considered unlucky as it sounds like 死 (sǐ, death).
What does 四 mean literally?+
四 breaks down as 四 (sì) = four. Together it means "four (4)".
How do I get the tones right in sì?+
四 (sì, fourth tone) sounds close to 十 (shí, ten) for beginners - listen for the falling tone of sì versus the rising tone of shí. 四 is considered unlucky as it sounds like 死 (sǐ, death).
More phrases like this
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Why some tones change in connected speech.
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