2nd vs 3rd tone: hear it, then say it
The most stubborn confusion in Mandarin. Here’s the trick nobody tells you: stop listening for the rise — listen for the start.
2nd tone á — rises immediately
Like English “huh?” — pitch starts mid and goes straight up. No dip, no hesitation.
3rd tone ǎ — dips low first
Starts mid, drops LOW (voice goes creaky), and only rises at the end — if at all. In fast speech it’s often just the low dip.
Ear test: 2nd or 3rd?
Press play, guess the starting tone of the word, then check.
Score: 0 / 0
🎙️ Record yourself & compare
Your ear hears it — but does your mouth do it? The free 2-minute test scores your own 2nd and 3rd tones syllable by syllable.