si1 si2 si3 si4 si5 si6詩史試時市事诗史试时市事
Jyutpingsi1 si2 si3 si4 si5 si6
Yalesī sí si sìh síh sih
Definition
A mnemonic phrase used to memorize the six tones in Cantonese.
neutralother
How it's used
This specific sequence of characters is the standard mnemonic device used by native speakers to internalize the six basic tones of Cantonese. Each character corresponds to a different tone level, starting from high level down to low level. It is taught in primary schools and remains the most reliable way to check tone pitch when learning the language.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with the seven or nine tone systems used in academic linguistics, but this phrase is strictly for the six tones commonly used in daily speech. It does not account for the entering tones which are checked syllables ending in p, t, or k.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
