准备 (zhǔn bèi) — preparation in Mandarin
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#350 most common word · HSK 2 · CEFR A2
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
准备 is pronounced zhǔn bèi. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
Wǒ zhèngzài zhǔnbèi kǎoshì.
I'm preparing for the exam.
Hear it, then say it right
Reading pinyin only gets you halfway. ToneDeck plays native audio for 准备 and thousands more words, then scores your pronunciation so your tones land. HSK 1 is free, no install.
Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 准备 mean?+
准备 (zhǔn bèi) means "preparation" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 准备?+
准备 is pronounced zhǔn bèi. It uses the tone 3 (rising/dipping), then the tone 4 (falling). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 准备 in Mandarin?+
准备 is the #350 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 准备 fits
Every HSK 2 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.
Words at a similar frequency
Master the tones first
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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