bin3 diu6變調变调
Jyutpingbin3 diu6
Yalebin diuh
Definition
Tone sandhi; a change in the tone of a syllable affected by its surrounding syllables.
neutralcommunicationother
How it's used
Linguists use this term to describe how the pitch of a syllable changes when it is followed by another syllable. While native speakers perform these changes naturally and unconsciously, learners often struggle to internalize the rules because they vary significantly between different Cantonese dialects.
Examples
The tone sandhi phenomenon in Guangzhou Cantonese is very complex.
Do you know why this character requires tone sandhi?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse tone sandhi with the concept of changing the meaning of a word by changing its tone, which is a phonemic distinction rather than a sandhi process.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- TonesCantonese has six tones, and the tones can change in certain grammatical contexts. Learn the six tones and the rules for tone change.
- Time and datesClock time, days of the week, months, and years. The patterns you need to make plans and talk about when things happen.
- Modal verbsHow to say can, will, may, should, must, and want. The core modal verbs of Cantonese and the differences that trip up beginners.
