持续 (chí xù) — to continue in Mandarin

chí
to continue

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#622 most common word · HSK 5 · CEFR C1

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

Tone breakdown

持续 is pronounced chí xù. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.

chí
second tone (rising, ˊ)
fourth tone (sharp falling, ˋ)

In a sentence

Zhè chǎng yǔ yǐjīng chíxù le sān tiān.

This rain has continued for three days.

Hear it, then say it right

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Frequently asked questions

What does 持续 mean?+

持续 (chí xù) means "to continue" in Mandarin Chinese.

How do you pronounce 持续?+

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

How common is 持续 in Mandarin?+

持续 is the #622 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.

Where 持续 fits

HSK 5 · CEFR C1
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Every HSK 5 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.

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