Is it easy to
determine the pinyin and tone of a Chinese character 汉字 seen for the first time? By Serene Zawaydeh.
September 19, 2025
In addition to
writing on paper, typing Chinese is important. Even without reading out loud, typing
determines whether one knows the pinyin, or makes errors with pronunciation. In
fact, what happens at higher levels, is that more and more words keep showing
up, which sound like previously studied words, but they are written differently.
To type a Chinese word, one must know the pinyin. One way to navigate Chinese Characters,
is by looking into other words that are obtained while typing, to see new words
that share the same radical. Differences and similarities in tones are not
discussed while learning Chinese. Words are learnt through sentences, and a new
meaning is given for the Character when combined with other Characters.
Wordcloud generated on wordart.com using words in this Blog
After getting more
exposure to Chinese words, sometimes it is possible to guess the sound of the
word based on the “Radicals” and words with similar components. However, being
able to accurately determine the tone for a new word is more challenging. It is
important to look up words in a Chinese dictionary, and know the meaning of the
word, and one can also keep track of all the new words that show up by adding
new words to a list on the app. Using specialized
software tools and apps for Chinese, is very important while learning the
language.
Although I bought a
Chinese paper dictionary when I first started learning Chinese, I do not really
use it, and it is actually difficult to look up the meaning of a word and
understand what it means. Even finding a word would be difficult. This is the
case with the physical dictionary “写作常用词句 分类词典” A
Thematic Dictionary for Effective Writing. This dictionary has a Table at the end, that
provides the list of words, and page numbers.
For example:
Word Page Number
解乏 593
解劝 509
解决 634
解围 491
解闷 585
In order to type the
above, I used my prior knowledge of words that I studied. Words that are
studied, would stick to mind. Sometimes if the character was seen along with
another word, I would remember that word, and I would type it to get the
character I need, as in郁闷. As
can be seen above, words are found on different pages in this dictionary, and
they are not all found under “解”, which
might be the way one would think words are sorted in a dictionary.
Taking one of the words as an example, I looked at the corresponding page to
see the meaning of the word:
【解乏】：解除 疲乏，恢复体力。喝杯浓茶 ~| 打个盹解不了乏。
I had to look up two words using Pleco to type the sentence.
After typing all the sentence, I had to look up the translation to understand the meaning of the example
As for the way the
words are sorted in a dictionary, they are probably sorted according to the
number of Strokes, as mentioned in the following article by Khanji School: How to search in a Paper Dictionary in Chinese.
I found it interesting
to see that Chinese names were sorted at the beginning of an HSK5 book
according to the number of Strokes in the family name, which is the first
character at the beginning of the name. This shows the importance of the number
of Strokes. The following note is provided about the editors: 编者（各级编者按姓氏笔画顺序排列）, which
translates into: (Editors at all levels are arranged in the order of the number
of strokes in their surnames). Although the name 王 has four strokes, it came before the name 于 which has three strokes, which might be because
more people have the same name.
After having completed
HSK5 lessons, and when trying to do past exams, it turned out that there are a
lot of new words that pop up in the exams, which are not in HSK5. They could be
HSK6 words, or Rare and Very Rare words as shown on Chinesimple Dictionary.
There are words that are not part of HSK list of words. HSK5 exam includes 100
questions, listening, reading and writing, that need to be finished in two
hours. The exam is definitely lengthy for the amount of time given. The exam
needs to be done with HSKK 高级， which is the third and
last speaking exam, which should be done with HSK5 and HSK6 exams. This
indicates that the student needs to know more than the 2500 words in HSK5, to
be able to do both HSK5 and HSKK 高级, with HSK6 being 5000 words. Compare that to previous levels. HSK1 has
150 words. The number of words is doubled from one level to the other. Level 2
includes 300 words, level 3 includes 600 words, and level 4 includes 1200
words. For future students, the number of words will be higher starting from
HSK1. When implemented, while the new students might find it very difficult to
finish level 1, there are currently a lot of students who are doing HSK3,
skipping HSK1 and HSK2. So the trend of having a higher number of words will
eventually be implemented. In my opinion, doing each of the first three levels,
and getting a full mark in them is better than skipping the first two levels.
Chinese Characters 汉字 , Pinyin and Tones
Is it difficult to know the pinyin and tone, when seeing a new word, a new
汉字 for the first time? Are there any patterns
that can be concluded? Is there a specific rule for having a third tone? Following
are some examples, to look into the words that share a specific radical.
Words that sound ba,
with radical 巴
1 巴 2芭 3 羓 4 岜 5 疤 6 粑 7 钯 8 紦 9蚆 10鲃 11把 12靶 13爸 14 吧 15 笆
1 肥 2 淝
1 爬 2 耙 3皅 4舥 4琶
1 色 2 铯 3銫
There are ten words with first tone “ba”; two words with the third tone, one
word with fourth tone, two words with neutral tone, while the last two words
have the pinyin “fei” with a second tone， while None of the words that sounded ba, had a
second tone.
Characters that are
learnt in HSK, include 爸，吧， 把， 色，爬， 肥. Therefore, the words shown are not all taught
as given in the above list.
Following are other
examples of words with similarities.
1 本 2苯 3奔 4 锛 5 錛 6倴 7 捹 8笨 9 逩 10 喯 bēn 体
1采 2採 3踩 4婇 5睬 6倸 7 寀 8啋 9 菜 There are 7 words that have the third tone
1当 2珰3 裆 4挡 5档
1 高2 搞 3镐 4稿 5篙
1千 2扦 3迁 4仟 5芊 6阡 7纤
1 莫 2 漠 3摸 4模5 谟6 膜 7馍
1母2 姆 3 鉧 4 拇 5 呣 6 呣 7乸
1每 2 霉 3 莓 4梅5 酶 6畮 7 悔 8 海
1目2 钼3 苜 4眉 5 泪 6眼
1力2 历3励 4厉 5劢
1仂 2牞 3叻4 艻 5肋 6助
1劳 2痨 4捞 4唠 5涝 6苏
1 刀 2忉 3舠 4叨 5 朷
1 分 2 忿 3粉 4芬
1刃2仞3纫 4 轫 5扨 6忍
1感 2想 3忍 4恐 5稳 6隐 7恳 8捻 9 伈 10偬11 蕊 12 惢 words with 心 having a Third Tone
1闷 2焖
1相 2箱 3 厢4 湘 5想
1里 2理 3鲤 4哩 5 锂 6狸
1云 2 沄 3 芸4 耘 5 纭 6运 7 酝 坛 昙
1术 2述 3树 4沭 5 秫
1木 2沐 3森
1元 2园 3远 4 院 5 垸
1京2惊 3鲸 4景
1青 3清 4 鲭 5情 6晴 7 氰 8 请 9箐
1精 2腈 3 靖
1 境 2竟 3 镜
1 竞 2獍
1争 2睁4峥 5狰 6筝 7挣 8诤 9净 10静 Changes from Zheng to Jing
1征 2钲 3怔 4姃 5正 6症 7证 8政 9症 10整
1 成 2诚 3城 4铖
1商 2滳 3熵 4墒 5尚 6赏
1 思 2 锶 3 缌 4 偲
1田 2沺 3佃 4钿
1由 2油 3甲
1南 2喃 3腩4 楠
1 说 2脱 3哾 4蜕 5税
1隹2锥
1 唯 2 维 3 惟 4 谁 5 准 6 椎 7推
1 韦 2围 3违 4玮 5伟 6炜 7纬
1火 2伙 3钬 4烟 5炎 6 谈 7 灾 8 灯 9 炬 10 炉 11焊
1古 2固 3姑 4故 5辜 6估
1支 2鼓
1瓜 2 抓 3孤
1关 2送
1官 2棺 3馆4管
1宫 2宮
1宾 2滨 3槟 4缤 5殡 6摈
1 兵 2 乒乓
1户 2 护 3沪 4 炉
1胡 2湖 3糊
1苹 2 平 3 萍 4 评 5 枰
1扁 2 谝 3篇 4偏 5翩 6骗 7蹁
1病 2丙 3炳 4柄 5蛃 6邴
1 百 2栢 3 白 4 怕
1日 2 驲
1买 2卖 3读 4荬
1末 2未 3佅
1非 2菲 3扉 4鲱 5霏 6绯 7啡 8诽 9匪 10斐 11诽 12翡 13腓 14辈
1习 2 扇 3 翅
1文 2纹 3蚊 4炆 5雯 6忞 7汶 8玟wén mín 1
1齐 2挤 3侪
1乔 2侨 3峤 4硚 5桥
1勿2物 3吻
1毛 2髦 3尾 4 毫
1鱼 2 渔 3鲨
1艮2根3 跟
1很 2恨 3痕 4狠 5詪 6拫 7佷
1长zhǎng 2涨 3账 4帐 5胀 6张
1马 2骂 3妈 4蚂 5玛 6蚂 7码 8犸 9吗
1雨 2雾3雪 4鳕 5零
1雷 2擂 3 蕾
1亢 2抗 3炕 4钪 5伉 6吭 7妔 8航 9杭 10魧 11沆 12笐 13颃
1 舌 2话 3活4 适 5 舍
1 去 2 袪 3 佉 4 弆 5珐
1 前 2 剪 3箭 4煎
1 佥2 捡 3 检 4 脸 5 验
1 续 2绪
1于 2余
条
1叙 2徐
1叔 2 寂 上小又
1乘 2剩
1健2建 3键
From another point of
view, there are words that have a similar pronunciation, but written
differently.
1和2合3盒4河 5何 6核
1喝 2褐 3渴 4 谒
1 谷 股 3顾 4骨
While the radical
provides the pronunciation for several words, other words pop up that have a
different pronunciation that is not similar to words sharing the same radical.
1 加2 嘉 3驾4 架 5 贺
Other words to note
1水 2淼
1口 2品 3器 4 癌
1中2种 3钟 5冲
1虫 2蛊
1允 2 充
After looking at these
examples, there doesn’t seem to be a rule to follow to be able to determine the
tone for a new word that is encountered for the first time. Prior knowledge of
the word, its pinyin, what words it is combined with to form a new meaning is
needed. Some components of the word can
give a hint as to what the word means.
When typing a word, if
a word is composed of two characters, we need to type the two words together to
get the characters needed, instead of typing each character at a time, and then
choosing the character that is required. For example, typing the 祝贺 together, we would get
the right 贺， while when typing only (he), we would have to
select what is needed from all the words that have this sound. In order to type
a word, we need to know what it is, and how it is written to make the right
selection.
While looking at a lot
of characters, diverts the learner away from knowing the meaning behind each
character, noticing the radicals, makes the language interesting to learn. For
example, 想 , to think includes 目eye, which is in 相，and 心heart or mind. Thinking is a
reflection of seeing and feeling.
Using Multiple Resources
and Apps
To know the meanings
of the words that have similarities as given in the above examples, it would be
good to use a Chinese dictionary, such as Yabla, Pleco, Language Player,
Chinesimple. As for pasting information into Google, sometimes the results are
not useful.
For example, if you just paste one of the lines above on Google Translate, here are the results.
Following is the result after removing the pinyin from the Source
Searching for meanings on Yabla
Source: Yabla.com
When I started learning Chinese, I used Yabla to look for the Stroke order and how to write the words. Looking at the static word is my preferred way of learning the stroke order and writing it down, as the looking at the animation would be too quick. This type of font is also suitable for learning writing.It is important to start writing and practice writing on paper following the right order, starting from HSK1.
Source: Yabla
I like to use Pleco, to find out the word’s pinyin, if I see a new word. It is possible to write on the mobile’s screen with your finger, and then get the pinyin. Randomly scribbling without knowing the correct stroke order, would not provide the required results when searching for a word.
Source: Pleco
Writing with wrong stroke order on Pleco does not provide the results needed.
Source: Pleco
After finding the pinyin,
one can use it to type the word, by searching for the correct character from a
group of words that share the same pinyin. This is how typing Simplified
Chinese is done.
In HSK5 and HSK6, the student needs to expand learning beyond the text that is in the books, and needs to get more exposure to content.
Language Player https://languageplayer.io/ provides videos and songs that contain the word, and has a lot more details about each word. In addition to learning Chinese, it is possible to learn over 200 languages.
Source: Language
Player
To learn each word at
a time, and practice learning words and sentences, I use Chinesimple from
Khanji School. Chinesimple Dictionary is Free and it is not limited to words in
HSK. Practicing each word, and each sentence
through games for each level, makes this app an excellent companion for
studying starting from HSK1, going up to HSK 6.
Another free
dictionary, is 汉语国学, which can be added on the desktop, which has all
the information about each word.
https://www.hanyuguoxue.com/zidian/zi-27491
Developers have
already spent a lot of time developing these apps to make it easier to learn
Chinese. Meanwhile, the student needs to spend a lot of time to learn Mandarin. Taking classes in addition to using apps, and using more resources should
eventually at some point enable the student to improve their listening,
reading, writing, and speaking skills. Learning Chinese will take years, and as a Chinese person told me, it took him 12 years to learn Chinese. That is also the case for native speakers of other languages, who spend school years learning their own language. The apps and tools available definitely are needed to learn Chinese. It must have been a lot more difficult to learn the language, without having digital resources.
Questions raised about
the tones, are not a topic of discussion while learning HSK. The reason behind
a specific tone or pronunciation is not provided.
加油！
Links to Blogs I wrote about learning Chinese
1 Is
it easy to determine the pinyin and tone of a Chinese character 汉字 seen for the first time? By Serene Zawaydeh. September 19, 2025
2 Dynamic
learning of Chinese: “Shi” is the most common sound in Chinese Words from HSK1
through HSK6. By Serene Zawaydeh. November 24, 2024
3 Tips
for Practicing Writing Chinese Characters. By Serene Zawaydeh. September 10,
2024
4 Change
is the only Constant Thing in the Process of Learning Chinese. July 19, 2024
5 Making
up Stories using Chinese Characters. 看汉字写小故事！by Serene Zawaydeh. June 29, 2024
6 What
if… Higher Levels of HSK Chinese Tests could be Redesigned? By Serene Zawaydeh. April 2, 2024
7 Examples of Simplified Chinese. There is no end to
learning 学无止境! By Serene
Zawaydeh. January 22, 2024
8 The Ongoing Process of Learning Chinese, HSK5. By Serene Zawaydeh. January 10, 2024
9 Lost Bag Story, Handwritten in Chinese. By Serene Zawaydeh. March 16, 2023
10 我的汉语学习方式- 做完HSK四之后! By Serene Zawaydeh, February 13, 2023
11 Learning Chinese: What kind of effort is needed to
complete HSK4, and what is it like to study higher levels? By Serene Zawaydeh, February 13, 2023
12 What does the process of learning
Mandarin Chinese look like? Some tips for new learners. By Serene Zawaydeh, January
20, 2022
