5. Tone Combinations
💭 Think!
In the previous lessons, you have tried to say words with multiple syllables. Do you find it easy or difficult to say different tones consecutively?
You will practice saying words with different tone combinations (e.g., Tone 1 followed by Tone 1, Tone 1 followed by Tone 2). This practice can train you to say different tones consecutively more smoothly.
Listen and repeat. The actual pitch of a tone is affected by its neighboring tones. Therefore, you may find that some of the tones sound slightly different from when they are said individually.
| 1. |  | si1 si1 | 香蕉 hoeng1 ziu1 banana | 飛機 fei1 gei1 plane | 餐廳 caan1 teng1 restaurant |
| 2. |  | si1 si2 | 的士 dik1 si2 cab | 巴士 baa1 si2 bus | 公園 gung1 jyun2 park |
| 3. |  | si1 si3 | 菠菜 bo1 coi3 spinach | 功課 gung1 fo3 homework | 鐘意 zung1 ji3 to like |
| 4. |  | si1 si4 | 菠蘿 bo1 lo4 pineapple | 足球 zuk1 kau4 football | 商場 soeng1 coeng4 mall |
| 5. |  | si1 si5 | 燒賣 siu1 maai5 siu mai | 粟米 suk1 mai5 corn | 經理 ging1 lei5 manager |
Siu mai is a type of street food in Hong Kong. (It is also the authorʼs favorite street food!)  | |||||
| 6. |  | si1 si6 | 煙肉 jin1 juk6 bacon | 測驗 caak1 jim6 test | 音樂 jam1 ngok6 music |
| 7. |  | si2 si1 | 矮瓜 ai2 gwaa1 eggplant | 茄汁 ke2 zap1 ketchup | 火車 fo2 ce1 train |
| 8. |  | si2 si2 | 腸仔 coeng2 zai2 sausage | 餃子 gaau2 zi2 dumpling | 診所 can2 so2 clinic |
| 9. |  | si2 si3 | 警察 ging2 caat3 police officer | 底褲 dai2 fu3 underpants | 酒店 zau2 dim3 hotel |
| 10. |  | si2 si4 | 演員 jin2 jyun4 actor / actress | 欖球 laam2 kau4 rugby | 鎖匙 so2 si4 key |
| 11. |  | si2 si5 | 主婦 zyu2 fu5 housewife | 警署 ging2 cyu5 police station | 考試 haau2 si5 exam |
| 12. |  | si2 si6 | 可樂 ho2 lok6 coke | 小學 siu2 hok6 elementary school | 跑步 paau2 bou6 to run |
| 13. |  | si3 si1 | 雪糕 syut3 gou1 ice cream | 爆谷 paau3 guk1 popcorn | 課室 fo3 sat1 classroom |
| 14. |  | si3 si2 | 意粉 ji3 fan2 spaghetti | 戲院 hei3 jyun2 movie theatre | 教堂 gaau3 tong2 church |
| 15. |  | si3 si3 | 法國 faat3 gwok3 France | 聖誕 sing3 daan3 Christmas | 設計 cit3 gai3 design |
| 16. |  | si3 si4 | 蒜頭 syun3 tau4 garlic | 背囊 bui3 nong4 backpack | 器材 hei3 coi4 equipment |
| 17. |  | si3 si5 | 糙米 cou3 mai5 brown rice | 正午 zing3 ng5 noon | 豁免 kut3 min5 to exempt |
| 18. |  | si3 si6 | 教練 gaau3 lin6 coach | 雪櫃 syut3 gwai6 refrigerator | 作業 zok3 jip6 workbook |
| 19. |  | si4 si1 | 檸檬 ning4 mung1 lemon | 洋蔥 joeng4 cung1 onion | 蘑菇 mo4 gu1 mushroom |
| 20. |  | si4 si2 | 蘋果 ping4 gwo2 apple | 薯仔 syu4 zai2 potato | 郵局 jau4 guk2 post office |
| 21. |  | si4 si3 | 椰菜 je4 coi3 cabbage | 玫瑰 mui4 gwai3 rose | 時間 si4 gaan3 time |
| 22. |  | si4 si4 | 牛油 ngau4 jau4 butter | 籃球 laam4 kau4 basketball | 銀行 ngan4 hong4 bank |
| 23. |  | si4 si5 | 牛奶 ngau4 naai5 milk | 朋友 pang4 jau5 friend | 迷你 mai4 nei5 mini |
| 24. |  | si4 si6 | 同事 tung4 si6 colleague | 同學 tung4 hok6 classmate | 容易 jung4 ji6 easy |
| 25. |  | si5 si1 | 老公 lou5 gung1 husband | 老師 lou5 si1 teacher | 領呔 leng5 taai1 tie |
| 26. |  | si5 si2 | 老鼠 lou5 syu2 mouse | 眼鏡 ngaan5 geng2 glasses | 社會 se5 wui2 society |
| 27. |  | si5 si3 | 老細 lou5 sai3 boss | 冷氣 laang5 hei3 air-conditioning | 免費 min5 fai3 free (price) |
| 28. |  | si5 si4 | 老婆 lou5 po4 wife | 網球 mong5 kau4 tennis | 語言 jyu5 jin4 language |
| 29. |  | si5 si5 | 螞蟻 maa5 ngai5 ant | 上網 soeng5 mong5 to surf the Internet | 永遠 wing5 jyun5 forever |
| 30. |  | si5 si6 | 乳酪 jyu5 lok6 yogurt | 禮物 lai5 mat6 gift | 肚餓 tou5 ngo6 hungry |
| 31. |  | si6 si1 | 麵包 min6 baau1 bread | 蛋糕 daan6 gou1 cake | 學生 hok6 saang1 student |
| 32. |  | si6 si2 | 熱狗 jit6 gau2 hot dog | 電話 din6 waa2 telephone | 字典 zi6 din2 dictionary |
| 33. |  | si6 si3 | 侍應 si6 jing3 waiter / waitress | 地鐵 dei6 tit3 subway | 重要 zung6 jiu3 important |
| 34. |  | si6 si4 | 泳池 wing6 ci4 swimming pool | 電郵 din6 jau4 | 問題 man6 tai4 question |
| 35. |  | si6 si5 | 電腦 din6 nou5 computer | 夜晚 je6 maan5 night | 物理 mat6 lei5 physics |
| 36. |  | si6 si6 | 護士 wu6 si6 nurse | 學校 hok6 haau6 school | 運動 wan6 dung6 sport |
💡 Tips
Come back and revise until you can say all the tone combinations smoothly and you are familiar with how each tone combination sounds like.