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How many tones does Modern Standard Chinese use?
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Chinese languages
Oracle bone inscriptions from the village of Xiaotun, Henan province, China; Shang dynasty, 14th or 12th century bce.
Modern Standard Chinese uses four distinct tones to distinguish the meanings of words or syllables that are otherwise identical in their consonant and vowel sounds. These four tones are:12
- High level3
- High rising crescendo3
- Low falling diminuendo (with an extra rise from low to high when final)3
- Falling diminuendo3
In addition to these four tones, unstressed syllables in Modern Standard Chinese carry a neutral tone, the pitch of which depends on the surrounding syllables.3