heoi3 sing1去聲去声

Jyutpingheoi3 sing1

Yaleheui sīng

名詞

Definition

The departing tone, one of the four traditional tone categories of Chinese syllables.

the departing tone, one of the four traditional tone categories
the departing tones in Cantonese, divided into high-departing and low-departing

neutralother

How it's used

Refers specifically to a historical category of Chinese phonology rather than a descriptive term for a pitch contour. While the name implies a falling movement, in modern Cantonese, the third and sixth tones are categorized as departing tones despite having different pitch characteristics. It is essential for understanding classical Chinese poetry and the distinction between level and oblique tones.

Examples

ni1呢go3個zi6字duk6讀heoi3去sing1聲，nei5你lau4留ji3意haa5下go3個jam1音。

This character is read in the departing tone, pay attention to the pitch.

heoi3去sing1聲zi6字喺hai2平ping4仄zak1入jap6面min6係hai6屬suk6於jyu1仄zak1聲㗎。

Characters in the departing tone category are considered oblique tones in tonal poetry.

Common phrases

jam1陰heoi3去

upper departing tone

joeng4陽heoi3去

lower departing tone

Common mistake

Do not confuse the linguistic category with the literal meaning of falling pitch, as the actual pronunciation of these tones in Cantonese does not necessarily drop in pitch.