总理 (zǒng lǐ) — premier in Mandarin
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#811 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
总理 is pronounced zǒng lǐ. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
zǒng lǐ fǎng wèn le wǔ ge guó jiā
The premier visited five countries.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 总理 mean?+
总理 (zǒng lǐ) means "premier" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 总理?+
总理 is pronounced zǒng lǐ. It uses the tone 3 (rising/dipping). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 总理 in Mandarin?+
总理 is the #811 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 总理 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.
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