Chinese tones test: TONEder
Can you hear the four Mandarin tones? TONEder is like Tinder, but for tones: ten words from a native speaker want to meet you, and you swipe each one to the tone it matches (high and level, rising, dipping or falling). Free, no sign-up, no microphone. You get a score and the tones you mix up.
Ten words want to meet you.
Listen to each one and swipe it to the tone it matches.
10 words · sound on · no microphone
Keyboard: 1–4 answer, arrows + Enter pick a corner, R replay, Enter next.
How the test works
Each card plays one word, hidden, so the tone is the only clue. The four corners are the four tones, placed like their marks: the two that end high on top (first tone level, second tone ˊ rising), the low dip and the fall at the bottom (third tone ˇ, fourth tone ˋ). Swipe, tap a corner or press 1 to 4. Then you see the word, its pinyin, 注音 and the shape of its tone.
Standard plays slow, clear recordings. Spoken plays the same words at everyday speed, which is harder and closer to real conversation.
Why tones are hard to hear for English speakers
In English, pitch tells you whether a sentence is a question or how someone feels, never which word it is. So your ear learned to skip pitch inside a word. In Mandarin the pitch shape is part of the word: mā (媽, mother) and mǎ (馬, horse) differ only in tone. Hearing that is a new habit, and like any habit it comes with practice, not talent.
Are you tone deaf?
Probably not. True tone deafness (congenital amusia) is rare, and even most people with it can follow speech melody. If you score low here, it almost always means your ear has not had enough focused practice yet. Learn what each shape looks like in the guide to the four tones, take this test a few times, then say the tones yourself in the tone visualizer to see your own pitch. Hearing real words also helps: try the common words with audio.
Questions
How does the Chinese tones test work?
TONEder works like a dating app for tones. You hear one Mandarin word at a time, recorded by our native Taiwan Mandarin speaker. The word is hidden, so only the pitch can tell you the tone. Swipe the card into the corner of the tone you heard (or tap the corner, or press 1 to 4). After ten words you get a score, your result per tone, and which tones you mix up.
What is the difference between Standard and Spoken?
Standard plays slow, clear recordings, like a textbook. Spoken plays the same words at everyday speed, where tones are shorter and smaller, so it is harder. Real conversations sound like Spoken.
Am I tone deaf if I get a low score?
Almost certainly not. True tone deafness (congenital amusia) affects a small share of people, and most of them still hear speech melody. A low score usually means your ear has not yet learned to treat pitch as part of a word, because English does not. That improves with targeted practice.
Which tones are hardest to hear?
Second and third tones are the most common mix-up. A second tone starts in the middle and rises early and steadily; third tone starts low and stays low for longer. First and fourth tones can also blur at speed, because a short fourth tone starts high like a first tone.
Is it free? Do I need an account?
Yes, it is free, with no sign-up and no microphone. It only plays audio. Turn your sound on.