Speak it out loud.
Know if you're right.
Record yourself saying a pinyin syllable. The app reads your pitch curve, tells you which tone you actually said, and shows you exactly what to fix.
Three steps. One real skill.
You see a syllable, you say it, and the app measures the pitch of your voice against the target tone. That's the whole loop.
See the word
A pinyin syllable appears with its tone marked. Your job is to read it aloud, not translate it. Just say it correctly.
Say it out loud
Tap record and speak. The app captures your voice and traces the pitch contour of what you said, syllable by syllable.
Know what to fix
See your pitch curve overlaid against the target. Get told exactly which tone you produced versus which one you aimed for.
Master all four tones. Everything else follows.
In Mandarin, pitch carries meaning. The same syllable said four different ways is four completely different words: mā is mother, mà is to scold.
Flat high
Hold a steady, high pitch all the way through. Like a sustained musical note.
Rising
Start low and sweep upward. Like asking a question in English.
Dipping
Drop low then rise. The trickiest tone for most learners.
Falling
Start high and drop sharply. Short and decisive.
Built by someone who's walked this road.
A note from the founder of Red Bamboo Chinese 红竹中文.
"I've spent over 10 years learning Chinese, including 4 years living in Shanghai as an English teacher. The people learning Chinese alongside me all struggled with the same thing: their confidence in their pronunciation and using the correct tones. Apps drill vocabulary, but nothing tells you whether the word coming out of your mouth is actually right. The Red Bamboo Chinese app is the tool I wish I'd had in year one. You speak, it listens, and you know."
Start free. Go further with Pro.
25 free recordings to try it out. Upgrade for unlimited practice across all 305 syllables.
- 7-day free trial included
- Unlimited recordings
- All 305 pinyin syllables
- Pitch curve breakdown
- 10 interface languages
- Everything in monthly
- 7-day free trial included
- Two months free vs monthly
- Cancel anytime
Your 25 free recordings need no credit card. Subscriptions and free trials start inside the app through the App Store or Google Play.
Wherever you're starting from,
start here.
Download Red Bamboo Tone Trainer and find out what your tones actually sound like.
