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挑战 (tiǎo zhàn) — to challenge in Mandarin

tiǎo zhàn
to challenge

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#1136 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

挑战 is pronounced tiǎo zhàn. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.

tiǎo
third tone (low dipping, ˇ)
zhàn
fourth tone (sharp falling, ˋ)

In a sentence

Wǒ xiǎng tiǎozhàn zìjǐ.

I want to challenge myself.

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Frequently asked questions

What does 挑战 mean?+

挑战 (tiǎo zhàn) means "to challenge" in Mandarin Chinese.

How do you pronounce 挑战?+

挑战 is pronounced tiǎo zhàn. 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 挑战 in Mandarin?+

挑战 is the #1136 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.

Where 挑战 fits

HSK 5 · CEFR B2
See the full HSK 5 vocabulary list

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.