🚧 ToneDeck is in active development - tap to share feedback

调查 (diào chá) — investigation in Mandarin

diào chá
investigation

🔊 Tap to hear it

#434 most common word · HSK 4 · CEFR B1

Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.

Tone breakdown

调查 is pronounced diào chá. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.

diào
fourth tone (sharp falling, ˋ)
chá
second tone (rising, ˊ)

In a sentence

Jǐngchá zài diào chá zhège ànjiàn.

The police are investigating this case.

Hear it, then say it right

Reading pinyin only gets you halfway. ToneDeck plays native audio for 调查 and thousands more words, then scores your pronunciation so your tones land. HSK 1 is free, no install.

Start free

Frequently asked questions

What does 调查 mean?+

调查 (diào chá) means "investigation" in Mandarin Chinese.

How do you pronounce 调查?+

调查 is pronounced diào chá. It uses the tone 4 (falling), then the tone 2 (rising). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.

How common is 调查 in Mandarin?+

调查 is the #434 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.

Where 调查 fits

HSK 4 · CEFR B1
See the full HSK 4 vocabulary list

Every HSK 4 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.

Words at a similar frequency

Master the tones first

Coming to iOS & Android

The mobile app is on the way. The trainer works right now.

ToneDeck for iPhone and Android is launching soon, and your progress syncs across every device. Meanwhile the full tone trainer runs in your browser today — no install, free to start.

Coming soon to theApp Store
Coming soon toGoogle Play
Sign up free and start training

Browse more on the Mandarin vocabulary hub, or read how to learn Mandarin tones.