Question 1

What are Mandarin tones?

Accepted Answer

Mandarin Chinese has four tones plus a neutral tone. Each tone is a distinct pitch pattern — Tone 1 stays high and flat, Tone 2 rises, Tone 3 dips then rises, and Tone 4 falls sharply. The same syllable spoken in different tones means entirely different things, so learning to hear and produce tones correctly is essential for speaking Mandarin.

Question 2

How does real-time tone feedback work?

Accepted Answer

Chinese Tutor uses your microphone to capture your voice and visualize the pitch contour of your speech in real time. After you speak a word or phrase, you can see exactly how your pitch moved compared to the correct tone shape — so instead of guessing whether your tone was right, you can see the difference and correct it.

Question 3

Is Chinese Tutor free?

Accepted Answer

Yes — Chinese Tutor is free during the current beta period with unlimited access for early adopters. No credit card required to sign up.

Question 4

Do I need to download an app?

Accepted Answer

No download required. Chinese Tutor runs entirely in your browser on desktop or mobile. Just sign up and start practicing immediately.

Question 5

What HSK levels does Chinese Tutor support?

Accepted Answer

Chinese Tutor includes over 10,000 words covering HSK levels 1 through 7, aligned with the official HSK 3.0 standard. You can filter practice by HSK level or build custom word lists focused on the vocabulary most relevant to you.

Question 6

How is Chinese Tutor different from Duolingo?

Accepted Answer

Duolingo teaches vocabulary and basic grammar through gamified exercises but has no pronunciation feedback for Mandarin tones. Chinese Tutor is built specifically around tone and pronunciation accuracy — you speak words and get real-time visual feedback showing whether your pitch rose, fell, or matched the correct tone shape. If tones are the part of Mandarin you struggle with, Chinese Tutor targets that directly.

Question 7

Can I practice real conversations in CHinese?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Chinese Tutor includes interactive scenario conversations — coffee shop, restaurant, and more — where you speak and respond to a Mandarin-speaking character using real vocabulary and tone feedback. New scenarios are added regularly.

Question 8

What is tone sandhi and does Chinese Tutor cover it?

Accepted Answer

Tone sandhi refers to how certain tones change when spoken next to each other in natural speech. The most common example is the third tone: when two third-tone words appear in a row, the first one is usually pronounced as a second tone. Chinese Tutor applies sandhi rules automatically so the tones you practice reflect how Mandarin is actually spoken, not just how tones appear in a dictionary.

Learn Mandarin Tones
with Real-Time Feedback

Free, unlimited access for early adopters

Stop guessing Mandarin tones
Start speaking with confidence

Practice real conversations

Everything you need to study Chinese

Your AI Chinese tutor,
always available

Free, unlimited access for early adopters

Learn Mandarin Toneswith Real-Time Feedback

Free, unlimited access for early adopters

Stop guessing Mandarin tonesStart speaking with confidence

Practice real conversations

Everything you need to study Chinese

Your AI Chinese tutor,always available

Free, unlimited access for early adopters

Learn Mandarin Tones
with Real-Time Feedback

Stop guessing Mandarin tones
Start speaking with confidence

Your AI Chinese tutor,
always available