Pinyin tone converter: numbers to tone marks
Type pinyin with tone numbers and this converter writes it with tone marks: ni3 hao3 becomes nǐ hǎo. Use v for ü and 5 for the neutral tone. It is free and needs no signup.
The rule for placing a tone mark
- If there is an a or an e, it takes the mark:
hao3is hǎo,xue2is xué. - In ou, the o takes it:
gou3is gǒu. - Otherwise the last vowel takes it:
liu2is liú,gui4is guì.
Every marked vowel
| Vowel | Tone 1 | Tone 2 | Tone 3 | Tone 4 | Neutral |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a | ā | á | ǎ | à | a |
| e | ē | é | ě | è | e |
| i | ī | í | ǐ | ì | i |
| o | ō | ó | ǒ | ò | o |
| u | ū | ú | ǔ | ù | u |
| ü | ǖ | ǘ | ǚ | ǜ | ü |
You can copy any of these straight from the table. To hear the tones rather than read them, start with the four tones, explained.
Frequently asked questions
How do I type pinyin with tone marks?
Type each syllable followed by its tone number, like ni3 hao3, paste it into the box on this page and press Convert. You get nǐ hǎo, ready to copy. For typing marks directly from the keyboard, see how to type pinyin with tone marks.
Which vowel gets the tone mark in pinyin?
If the syllable has an a or an e, the mark goes on it. In ou, it goes on the o. In every other case it goes on the last vowel, which is why it is liú but guì.
How do I type ü?
Type v, or u followed by a colon. lv4 and lu:4 both become lǜ. Chinese keyboards use v for ü for the same reason: pinyin has no v of its own.
What number is the neutral tone?
Use 5 or 0. The neutral tone has no mark, so ma5 and ma0 both come out as ma.
What are the four tones?
First tone is high and level (mā), second rises (má), third dips and rises (mǎ), fourth falls (mà). The four tones, explained.
GraphChinese teaches tones and pinyin first, with a recorded voice on every syllable, before the first word. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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