首都 (shǒu dū) — capital in Mandarin
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#1487 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
首都 is pronounced shǒu dū. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
běi jīng shì shǒu dū.
Beijing is the capital.
Hear it, then say it right
Reading pinyin only gets you halfway. ToneDeck plays native audio for 首都 and thousands more words, then scores your pronunciation so your tones land. HSK 1 is free, no install.
Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 首都 mean?+
首都 (shǒu dū) means "capital" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 首都?+
首都 is pronounced shǒu dū. It uses the tone 3 (rising/dipping), then the tone 1 (high flat). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 首都 in Mandarin?+
首都 is the #1487 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 首都 fits
Every HSK 4 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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