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.

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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
email
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.