The fourth tone in Mandarin Chinese
Tone 4 · Sharp falling · 去声 qùshēng
How the fourth tone sounds
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.
A way to feel it
A firm, short command - like saying 'No!' or 'Stop!' sharply, or the emphatic 'Yes!' you give when you are certain.
Drill the fourth tone with audio
Hearing beats reading. ToneDeck plays the tone, you guess it, and your accuracy climbs as your ear sharpens. HSK 1 is free.
Start freeCommon mistakes
- ×Making it too gentle, so it sounds flat. The fourth tone needs a sharp, fast fall.
- ×Starting too low, which leaves nowhere to fall to.
- ×Letting the syllable run long. The fourth tone is brisk and clipped.
Fourth tone example words
Pinyin is coloured by tone (this tone is sharp falling).
Frequently asked questions
What does the fourth tone sound like in Mandarin?+
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 is an example of the fourth tone?+
The fourth tone on "ma" is mà (骂), meaning "to scold". Other common fourth-tone words include shì (是, to be / yes), bù (不, not / no), fàn (饭, rice / meal).
What is the most common mistake with the fourth tone?+
Making it too gentle, so it sounds flat. The fourth tone needs a sharp, fast fall.
Which number is the fourth tone?+
It is tone 4 of the four Mandarin tones. On "ma" it is written mà in pinyin, and described as "sharp falling", pitch 51 (high falling).
The other tones
See all five together in Mandarin tones explained, or read how to learn the tones.