/˥//˥˩/
妈骂
One of the six tone comparisons included in Dong et al.; these particular words are not appendix-confirmed.
CHOOSE A SOUND
Mandarin contrasts.
Start with a difference you find hard to hear. Words stay hidden during practice until you choose to show them.
Browse the examples below, then listen to A and B and match their target sound in a different word, X.
Practice
/˧˥//˨˩˦/
麻马
One of the six tone comparisons included in Dong et al.; these particular words are not appendix-confirmed.
/˥//˧˥/
妈麻
One of the six tone comparisons included in Dong et al.; these particular words are not appendix-confirmed.
/˥//˨˩˦/
妈马
Completes one of the six pairwise tone categories studied by Dong et al.; words here are editorial candidates, not extracted Appendix A stimuli.
/˧˥//˥˩/
麻骂
Completes one of the six pairwise tone categories studied by Dong et al.; words here are editorial candidates, not extracted Appendix A stimuli.
/˨˩˦//˥˩/
马骂
Completes one of the six pairwise tone categories studied by Dong et al.; words here are editorial candidates, not extracted Appendix A stimuli.
/p//pʰ/
包抛
Learn to hear the difference between p and pʰ in Mandarin words.
/t//tʰ/
刀掏
Learn to hear the difference between t and tʰ in Mandarin words.
/k//kʰ/
哥科
Learn to hear the difference between k and kʰ in Mandarin words.
/s//ʂ/
三山
Adds a missing dental versus retroflex fricative comparison, with a restricted ordinary-word group.
/n//ŋ/
班帮
Adds a missing nasal-coda comparison in a controlled low-vowel rhyme context.
A CLOSER LISTEN
What is a
minimal pair?
Two words form a minimal pair when one sound difference changes the word. Keeping the surrounding sounds the same gives you a specific difference to listen for.
Some lessons focus on tone or word stress instead of a single consonant or vowel. We label those separately, so you know what each exercise is testing.
In the exercise, listen to A and B, then a different word X. Choose the reference that shares the target sound, tone, stress or consonant feature. Words and IPA stay hidden unless you enable text hints, including after answering; you can replay the audio whenever you need it.
Read about the learning approach