How to pronounce “Chengdu”

成都chéng dū

Literally: becoming a capital.

❌ What English speakers usually say

“cheng-DOO” with a falling end

✅ What to say instead

chung-DOO — rising, then held flat and high

The shape of the word

Tap any syllable to hear it. The curve above each one is the tone you are aiming for.

Syllable	Tone	Practise it
成 chéng	Second tone — rising	cheng — open drill →
都 dū	First tone — high and flat	du — open drill →

How do you pronounce Chengdu?

Chengdu is 成都, chéng dū — chung-DOO — rising, then held flat and high. Literally it means becoming a capital.

What is the most common mistake with Chengdu?

“cheng-DOO” with a falling end

Can you actually say it?

Reading a respelling is not the same as producing the tones. The free 2-minute check listens to you and shows which syllables land wrong.