Sheng · Mandarin tones

Finally, be understood.

Sheng trains the four Mandarin tones — the part every other app skips. Say the word, hold the mic, and get a clear verdict on every tone.

Free to start · iPhone & iPad · No account required

9:41
First tone Stretch 1 · 2 of 11
YOUR TURN — SAY IT Skip ›
TONE 1 “mother”
Listen to target
PassCloseMiss

Hold the mic to record · release to stop

Why tones

Every word is a little song.

Four melodies turn ma into mother — or a horse. Most apps teach you the words and skip the music. Sheng makes each melody visible, then trains your ear and your voice until it sticks.

mother
First tone · high and level
hemp
Second tone · rising
horse
Third tone · dip and lift
scold
Fourth tone · falling
Inside the app

Drills that train your ear,
then your voice.

Short, focused sessions — listen first, speak second, keep it forever. One word at a time, one clear verdict per tone.

Say it. Get a verdict.

Hold the mic, say the word, release. Sheng grades your pitch contour against the target — pass, close, or miss, with a replay of both.

Pass

Which tone?

Pure ear training. Hear and pick the melody — before you ever see the answer.

Tone sort

Drag each word into its tone lane — a card only locks in when the tone matches. No timer, no penalty for thinking.

Pairs that trip you up

Tone 3 vs tone 4, mǎi vs mài — drills built on the exact contrasts learners confuse most.

mǎi · buy mài · sell

A daily dose that sticks

Fifteen minutes a day. Your week fills in as you practice — real speaking, not screen time.

M T W T F S S 0 of 15 min today

One tone at a time

Each session has a single focus — “Tone 1 stays high and level. If it drifts down at the end it turns into Tone 4.”

HIGH AND LEVEL
The method

Ear before mouth.
Mouth before memory.

You can't say a tone you can't hear. Sheng sequences every sound the way pronunciation coaches do.

Hear it

Perception drills sharpen your ear on minimal pairs until the four melodies are unmistakable — no peeking at the pinyin.

Say it

Speak words and short phrases. Each verdict shows exactly which syllable drifted, with your recording and the target side by side.

Keep it

Sounds you miss come back at just the right moment. Mastery is per-sound, per-tone — so review is short and never random.

Fifteen minutes a day.
Tones for life.

Start with the four melodies of ma, then build toward the words and short phrases that get you understood.

Download on theApp Store

Free to start · iPhone & iPad