Fourth tone Mandarin words (mà)
Tone 4 · Sharp falling · 去声 qùshēng
The fourth tone is sharp falling. The fourth tone drops fast and hard from the top of your range to the bottom. It is short, strong and decisive. Say an annoyed 'No!' and feel your pitch slam downward - that is the fourth tone. Do not let it trail off softly; the energy is at the start.
Below are the 366 single-syllable Mandarin words that carry the fourth tone in our deck, ordered most-common-first. Each shows tone-coloured pinyin and its meaning — tap the character to hear it, and follow the link to a full word page where one exists.
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the fourth tone in Mandarin?+
The fourth tone (去声 qùshēng) is sharp falling, pitch 51 (high falling). The fourth tone drops fast and hard from the top of your range to the bottom. It is short, strong and decisive. Say an annoyed 'No!' and feel your pitch slam downward - that is the fourth tone. Do not let it trail off softly; the energy is at the start.
What are some fourth-tone words in Chinese?+
This page lists 366 single-syllable fourth-tone words ranked by frequency. The most common include shì (是, to be / yes), zài (在, at; in; to be at), bù (不, not / no), wèi (为, for; because of).
How do I practise the fourth tone?+
Hear it, then say it. Tap any word above to play native audio for the fourth tone, then repeat it. ToneDeck scores your pronunciation so you know when the contour is right.
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How it sounds, the contour, and common mistakes.
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The top 1,000 words by frequency, with audio.
Every word grouped by official HSK level 1–6.
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