# Tone Trainer: Learn Mandarin Tones

> Learn Mandarin tones with live pitch feedback: your pitch curve drawn over the target tone curve, with one named hint per mistake. The 4 tones on 20 syllables, then all 16 tone pairs. Free, no account, nothing ever leaves your device.

*Interactive tool: enter your values at https://toollantern.win/learn-mandarin-tones/ and results update instantly in your browser.*

## Frequently asked questions
### Do I need to know Chinese to use Tone Trainer?

No. The app starts from zero: it teaches the four tones on 20 syllables with pinyin, characters and English glosses. You need no Chinese at all, just a microphone and a willingness to say ma four different ways.

### Does the app judge my accent or my pitch level?

Neither. It judges the SHAPE of your pitch: whether the curve rises, falls, stays flat, or dips. A low voice and a high voice are both judged on shape, because every utterance is normalised to the speaker's own range.

### Why does the app say my Tone 3 is wrong when it sounds right?

Tone 3 is the hardest tone to pin down: in fast speech its final rise is small, and the app's target shape has a clear dip plus rise. If a native speaker says your Tone 3 sounds right, trust them over the app. Pitch tracking approximates tones.

### What is tone sandhi, and why does nihao count as 3-3?

Tone sandhi is the way tones change in connected speech. Two third tones in a row are pronounced 2-3, so nihao sounds like nihǎo. Its citation tones are still 3-3, which is what the app checks, because drilling the citation shape first is the standard way to learn.

### Does the app record my voice?

No. Voice frames are analysed on your device and discarded immediately. Nothing is recorded, uploaded or shared, and the page security policy blocks connections to every outside server. The Offline proof panel shows the live request log to prove it.

### Does it work offline?

Yes, after your first visit. The app and all the lessons are saved on your device, so it works with no network at all. There is no model to download: pitch detection is plain signal processing that ships with the app.

### How do points, levels and badges work?

Every matched tone is +10 points, a perfect quiz round adds +20. Levels run New Voice, Rising Tone, Tone Star, and Master of Tones. Tone pairs unlock at 50 points. Badges cover the first match, all 20 syllables, all 16 tone pairs, a perfect round, and a 7-day streak.

### Can I delete my progress?

Yes. Open Offline proof on the home page and press Delete all my data, or open Settings and press Clear progress. Everything is stored only in your browser on your device.

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Interactive version: https://toollantern.win/learn-mandarin-tones/