所谓 (suǒ wèi) — so-called in Mandarin
🔊 Tap to hear it
#673 most common word · HSK 5 · CEFR B2
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
所谓 is pronounced suǒ wèi. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
suǒ wèi de xìng fu jiù shì hé jiā ren zài yi qǐ
So-called happiness is simply being together with family.
Hear it, then say it right
Reading pinyin only gets you halfway. ToneDeck plays native audio for 所谓 and thousands more words, then scores your pronunciation so your tones land. HSK 1 is free, no install.
Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 所谓 mean?+
所谓 (suǒ wèi) means "so-called" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 所谓?+
所谓 is pronounced suǒ wèi. 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 所谓 in Mandarin?+
所谓 is the #673 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 所谓 fits
Every HSK 5 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.
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.
Browse more on the Mandarin vocabulary hub, or read how to learn Mandarin tones.