Chinese Language Tutorial - Part 1

Tones

Chinese is a tonal language, and tones play a crucial role in distinguishing meanings. There are four basic tones:

ā (first tone)
á (second tone)
ǎ (third tone)
à (fourth tone)

Tone Drills

Practice the tones with the following examples:

mā (马) - horse
mà (骂) - scold

Why are Tones Important?

Tones change the meaning of a word, emphasizing the importance of proper pronunciation.

Examples

Basic Finals

ao, ai, ei, ou, an, en, ang, eng, ong
ia, ie, iao, iou, iu
ian, in, iang, ing, iong
ua, uo, uai, uei, uan, uen, uang, ueng
üe, üan, ün

Basic Initials

b, p, m, f
d, t, n, l
g, k, h
j, q, x
zh, ch, sh, r
z, c, s
y, w

Examples with New Words

nǐ hǎo (你好) - Hello
- nǐ (你) - You (singular)
- hǎo (好) - Good
lǎoshī (老师) - Teacher
xièxie (谢谢) - Thanks
bú kèqì (不客气) - You’re welcome
bù (不) - No
kèqi (客气) - Polite
zàijiàn (再见) - Goodbye

Common Phrases

Nǐ hǎo (你好) - Hello
nǐ (你) - You (singular)
hǎo (好) - Good
nín (您) - You (polite)
nǐmen (你们) - You (plural)
duìbuqǐ (对不起) - Sorry
méiguānxi (没关系) - It’s ok

Disclaimer

These teachings are derived from the Chinese Speaking Class conducted during the academic year 2023-2024 by the Chinese Cultural Centre in Nepal. For more information about the Chinese Cultural Centre in Nepal, please visit their official Facebook page: Chinese Cultural Centre Nepal.

The instructor, Laoshi Jitesh Maharjan, is responsible for delivering the lessons. To connect with Laoshi Jitesh Maharjan, you can visit his Facebook profile: Jitesh Maharjan.

Please note that the content provided here is for educational purposes and is based on the teachings and materials used in the mentioned class. The Chinese Cultural Centre in Nepal holds the rights to the original content. Any additional inquiries or requests should be directed to the Chinese Cultural Centre in Nepal.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.