20 Chinese Tongue Twisters for Pronunciation Practice [Audio Included]

No matter the language, tongue twisters— 绕口令  (rào kǒu lìng)—are a fun way to help with pronunciation, whether you’re a learner or a native speaker.

Keep reading for 20 Chinese tongue twisters that can help your pronunciation and speaking skills.

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Target	Tongue Twister
x, sh	西施死时四十四。
Tones with sh	老师是不是四十四岁？
The five tones	凉鞋为乐趣飞出你的脚！
ong, eng, uang	红凤凰， 粉凤凰， 粉红凤凰。
The five tones	妈妈骑马。 马慢， 妈妈骂马。
b, p, t	吃葡萄不吐葡萄皮， 不吃葡萄倒吐葡萄皮。
i	树上有梨， 地上有泥， 风刮梨， 梨落地， 梨滚泥。
ei, u, ie	黑蝴蝶飞， 灰蝴蝶飞， 黑蝴蝶飞完， 灰蝴蝶飞。
sh, s	四是四， 十是十， 十四是十四， 四十是四十， 四十四是四十四。
a, ai, iao	八百标兵奔北坡， 炮兵并排北边跑， 炮兵怕把标兵碰， 标兵怕碰炮兵炮。
ei, ua, ui	黑化肥发灰， 灰化肥发黑。 黑化肥发灰会挥发， 灰化肥挥发会发黑。
ing, ang, eng, ong	青青山上一根藤， 青藤底下挂铜铃， 风吹藤动铜铃动， 风停藤停铜铃停。
yan, yuan	村前有个颜圆眼。 村后有个颜眼圆。 不知颜圆眼的眼圆， 还是颜眼圆的眼圆？
niao, mao	树上一只鸟， 地上一只猫。 地上的猫想咬树上的鸟， 树上的鸟想啄猫的毛。
Various finals with a	扁担长，板凳宽， 扁担要绑在板凳上， 板凳不让扁担绑在板凳上， 扁担非要绑在板凳上。
zh, j	知道就说知道， 不知道就说不知道， 不要知道说不知道， 也不要不知道说知道， 你知道不知道？
ao, iao	鸟岛是岛， 鸟岛有鸟。 鸟岛的鸟多得数不清了。 要想到鸟岛， 一定要爱鸟。 你不爱小鸟， 就别到鸟岛。
iu, iang, ang	牛郎恋刘娘，刘娘念牛郎， 牛郎牛年恋刘娘，刘娘年年念牛郎， 郎恋娘来娘恋郎， 念娘恋郎念郎恋娘， 念恋娘郎，绕不晕你算我白忙。
Tones with shi	石室诗士施氏，嗜狮，誓食十狮。 氏时时适市视狮。 十时，适十狮适市。 是时，适施氏适市。 氏视是十狮，恃矢势，使是十狮逝世。 氏拾是十狮尸，适石室。 石室湿，氏使侍拭石室。 石室拭，氏始试食是十狮。 食时，始识是十狮尸，实十石狮尸。 试释是事。
Words with a final	打南边来了个哑巴，腰里别了个喇叭； 打北边来了个喇嘛，手里提了个獭犸。 提着獭犸的喇嘛要拿獭犸换别着喇叭的哑巴的喇叭； 别着喇叭的哑巴不愿拿喇叭换提着獭犸的喇嘛的獭犸。 不知是别着喇叭的哑巴打了提着獭犸的喇嘛一喇叭； 还是提着獭犸的喇嘛打了别着喇叭的哑巴一獭犸。喇嘛回家炖獭犸，哑巴嘀嘀哒哒吹喇叭。

1. 西施 (xī shī) — Xi Shi

Target: Differentiating between x and sh

西施死时四十四。
(xī shī sǐ shí sì shí sì.)
Xi Shi died at 44.

2. 老师 (lǎo shī) — The Teacher

Target: Tones with sh

老师是不是四十四岁？
(lǎo shī shì bú shì sì shí sì suì?)
Is the teacher 44 years old?

3. 凉鞋 (liáng xié) — Flip-flops

Target: The five tones

凉鞋为乐趣飞出你的脚！
(liáng xié wèi lè qù fēi chū nǐ de jiǎo!)
Flip-flops fly off your feet for fun!

4. 凤凰 (fèng huáng) — Phoenix

Target: ong, eng and uang finals

红凤凰，
(hóng fèng huáng,)
Red phoenix,

粉凤凰，
(fěn fèng huáng,)
pink phoenix,

粉红凤凰。
(fěn hóng fèng huáng.)
pink-red phoenix.

5. 妈妈骑马 (mā ma qí mǎ) — Mother Rides a Horse

Target: The five tones

妈妈骑马。
(mā ma qí mǎ.)
Mother rides a horse.

马慢，
(mǎ màn,)
The horse is slow,

妈妈骂马。
(mā ma mà mǎ.)
mother scolds the horse.

6. 吃葡萄 (chī pú tao) — Eat Grapes

Target: Differentiating between b, p and t

吃葡萄不吐葡萄皮，
(chī pú tao bù tǔ pú tao pí,)
Eat grapes without spitting out the grape skins,

不吃葡萄倒吐葡萄皮。
(bù chī pú tao dào tǔ pú tao pí.)
don’t eat grapes and spit out the grape skins.

7. 梨和泥 (lí hé ní) — Pear and Mud

Target: i finals

树上有梨
(shù shàng yǒu lí)
On the tree is a pear

地上有泥
(dì shàng yǒu ní)
On the ground is mud

风刮梨
(fēng guā lí)
The wind knocks off the pear

梨落地
(lí luò dì)
The pear falls to the ground

梨滚泥
(lí gǔn ní)
The pear rolls in the mud

泥沾梨。
(ní zhān lí.)
The mud moistens the pear.

8. 蝴蝶飞 (hú dié fēi) — Butterfly Flies

Target: ei, u and ie finals

黑蝴蝶飞，
(hēi hú dié fēi,)
The black butterfly flies,

灰蝴蝶飞，
(hūi hú dié fēi,)
the gray butterfly flies,

黑蝴蝶飞完，
(hēi hú dié fēi wán,)
after the black butterfly flies,

灰蝴蝶飞。
(hūi hú dié fēi.)
the gray butterfly can fly.

9. 四是四 (sì shì sì) — Four is Four

Target: Differentiating between sh and s

四是四，
(sì shì sì,)
Four is four,

十是十，
(shí shì shí,)
ten is ten,

十四是十四，
(shí sì shì shí sì,)
fourteen is fourteen,

四十是四十，
(sì shí shì sì shí,)
forty is forty,

四十四是四十四。
(sì shí sì shì sì shí sì.)
forty-four is forty-four.

10. 八百标兵 (bā bǎi biāo bīng) — 800 Soldiers

Target: Differentiating between a, ai, and iao

八百标兵奔北坡，
(bā bǎi biāo bīng bèn běi pō,)
Eight hundred spearmen rush to the northern slope.

炮兵并排北边跑，
(pào bīng bìng pái běi bian pǎo,)
Artillery soldiers run side by side to the north.

炮兵怕把标兵碰，
(pào bīng pà bǎ biāo bīng pèng,)
The artillery soldiers fear bumping into the spearmen.

标兵怕碰炮兵炮。
(biāo bīng pà pèng pào bīng pào.)
The spearmen fear bumping into the artillerymen’s cannon.

11. 黑化肥，灰化肥 (hēi huà féi, huī huà féi) — Black Fertilizer, Gray Fertilizer

Target: ei, ua and ui finals

黑化肥发灰，
(hēi huà féi fā huī,)
Black fertilizer turns gray,

灰化肥发黑。
(huī huà féi fā hēi.)
gray fertilizer turns black.

黑化肥发灰会挥发，
(hēi huà féi fā huī huì huī fā,)
Black fertilizer that turns gray can be volatile,

灰化肥挥发会发黑。
(huī huà féi huī fā huì fā hēi.)
gray fertilizer will turn black when it volatilizes.

12. 藤 (téng) — The Vine

Target: ing, ang, eng and ong finals

青青山上一根藤，
(qīng qīng shān shàng yì gēn téng,)
On a green mountain is a vine.

青藤底下挂铜铃，
(qīng téng dǐ xià guà tóng líng,)
Under the green vine hang copper bells.

风吹藤动铜铃动，
(fēng chuī téng dòng tóng líng dòng,)
The wind blows, the vine moves, (and) the copper bells move.

风停藤停铜铃停。
(fēng tíng téng tíng tóng líng tíng.)
The wind stops, the vine stops, (and) the copper bells stop.

13. 眼圆 (yǎn yuán) — Round Eyes

Target: Pronouncing yan and yuan

村前有个颜圆眼。
(cūn qián yǒu gè yán yuán yǎn.)
In front of the village is a Yan Yuanyan.

村后有个颜眼圆。
(cūn hòu yǒu gè yán yǎn yuán.)
Behind the village is a Yan Yanyuan.

不知颜圆眼的眼圆，
(bù zhī yán yuán yǎn de yǎn yuán,)
(I) don’t know if Yan Yuanyan’s eyes are rounder,

还是颜眼圆的眼圆？
(hái shì yán yǎn yuán dē yǎn yuán?)
or Yan Yanyuan’s eyes are rounder?

14. 鸟和猫 (niǎo hé māo) — The Bird and the Cat

Target: Pronouncing niao and mao

树上一只鸟，
(shù shàng yì zhī niǎo,)
In the tree is a bird,

地上一只猫。
(dì shàng yì zhǐ māo.)
on the ground is a cat.

地上的猫想咬树上的鸟，
(dì shàng de māo xiǎng yǎo shù shàng de niǎo,)
The cat on the ground tries to bite the bird in the tree.

树上的鸟想啄猫的毛。
(shù shàng de niǎo xiǎng zhuó māo de máo.)
The bird in the tree tries to peck at the cat’s fur.

15. 扁担 (biǎn dan) — Bamboo Pole

Target: Various final combinations with a

扁担长，板凳宽，
(biǎn dan cháng, bǎn dèng kuān,)
The bamboo pole is long, and the wooden bench is wide.

扁担要绑在板凳上，
(biǎn dan yào bǎng zài bǎn dèng shàng,)
The bamboo pole should be tied to the bench.

板凳不让扁担绑在板凳上，
(bǎn dèng bú ràng biǎn dan bǎng zài bǎn dèng shàng,)
The bench won’t let the pole be tied to it,

扁担非要绑在板凳上。
(biǎn dan fēi yào bǎng zài bǎn dèng shàng.)
but the pole has to be tied to the bench.

16. 知道就说知道 (zhī dào jiù shuō zhī dào) — If You Know, Say You Know

Target: zh initial

知道就说知道，
(zhī dào jiù shuō zhī dào,)
If (you) know, just say (you) know.

不知道就说不知道，
(bù zhī dào jiù shuō bù zhī dào,)
If (you) don’t know, just say (you) don’t know.

不要知道说不知道，
(bú yào zhī dào shuō bù zhī dào,)
Don’t say (you) don’t know when (you) know,

也不要不知道说知道，
(yě bú yào bù zhī dào shuō zhī dào,)
and also don’t say (you) know when (you) don’t know,

你知道不知道？
(nǐ zhī dào bù zhī dào?)
you know or not?

17. 鸟岛 (niǎo dǎo) — Bird Island

Target: ao and iao finals

鸟岛是岛，
(niǎo dǎo shì dǎo,)
Bird Island is an island;

鸟岛有鸟。
(niǎo dǎo yǒu niǎo.)
Bird Island has birds.

鸟岛的鸟多得数不清了。
(niǎo dǎo de niǎo duō de shǔ bù qīng le.)
The birds on Bird Island are countless.

要想到鸟岛，
(yào xiǎng dào niǎo dǎo,)
If (you’re) thinking of going to Bird Island,

一定要爱鸟。
(yì dìng yào ài niǎo.)
(you) must love birds.

你不爱小鸟，
(nǐ bú ài xiǎo niǎo)
If (you) don’t love small birds,

就别到鸟岛。
(jiù bié dào niǎo dǎo.)
don’t go to Bird Island.

18. 牛郎恋刘娘 (niú láng liàn liú niáng) — The Ox Herder Boy Loves Lady Liu

Target: iu, iang and ang finals

For all of you romantics out there, this tongue twister was specially chosen for you! Brace yourselves though, it’s a slightly longer and more complex one.

牛郎恋刘娘，刘娘念牛郎，
(niú láng liàn liú niáng, liú niáng niàn niú láng,)
The ox herder boy loves Lady Liu, Lady Liu longs for the ox herder boy.

牛郎牛年恋刘娘，刘娘年年念牛郎，
(niú láng niú nián liàn liú niáng, liú niáng nián nián niàn niú láng,)
The ox herder boy loves Lady Liu in the Year of the Ox, Lady Liu longs for the ox herder boy every year.

郎恋娘来娘恋郎，
(láng liàn niáng lái niáng liàn láng,)
The boy loves the lady and the lady longs for the boy,

念娘恋郎念郎恋娘，
(niàn niáng liàn láng niàn láng liàn niáng,)
The longing lady loves the boy and the longing boy loves the lady.

念恋娘郎，绕不晕你算我白忙。
(niàn liàn niáng láng, rào bù yūn nǐ suàn wǒ bái máng.)
Longing, loving, lady, boy. If you aren’t dizzy by now, I’ve wasted my effort.

19. 施氏食狮史 (shī shì shí shī shǐ) — The Lion-eating Poet

Target: shi variations

石室诗士施氏，嗜狮，誓食十狮。
(shí shì shī shì shī shì, shì shī, shì shí shí shī.)
In a stone room lived a poet named Shi Shi, a lion lover, who swore to eat ten lions.

氏时时适市视狮。
(shì shí shí shì shì shì shī.)
He often went to the market to look for lions.

十时，适十狮适市。
(shí shí, shì shí shī shì shì.)
At ten o’clock, ten lions arrived at the market.

是时，适施氏适市。
(shì shí, shì shī shì shì shì.)
At that time, Shi arrived at the market.

氏视是十狮，恃矢势，使是十狮逝世。
(shì shì shì shí shī, shì shǐ shì, shǐ shì shí shī shì shì.)
Looking at the ten lions, he used his trusty arrows, causing the ten lions to die.

氏拾是十狮尸，适石室。
(shì shí shì shí shī shī, shì shí shì.)
Shi brought the corpses of the ten lions to the stone room.

石室湿，氏使侍拭石室。
(shí shì shī, shì shǐ shì shì shí shì.)
The stone room was damp. Shi asked his servants to wipe it.

石室拭，氏始试食是十狮。
(shí shì shì, shì shǐ shì shí shì shí shī.)
As the stone room was being wiped, Shi began to try to eat the meat of the ten lions.

食时，始识是十狮尸，实十石狮尸。
(shí shí, shǐ shí shì shí shī shī, shí shí shí shī shī.)
When it was mealtime, he realized that the ten lions were in fact ten stone lion corpses.

试释是事。
(shì shì shì shì.)
Try to explain this matter.

20. 喇嘛和哑巴 (lǎ ma hé yǎ ba) — The Monk and the Mute

Target: l and b initials

打南边来了个哑巴，腰里别了个喇叭；
(dǎ nán bian lái le gè yǎ ba, yāo lǐ bié le gè lǎ ba;)
From the south comes a mute, carrying a trumpet pinned to his waist.

打北边来了个喇嘛，手里提了个獭犸。
(dǎ běi biān lái le gè lǎ ma, shǒu lǐ tí le gè tǎ mǎ.)
From the north comes a monk, holding a flatfish in his hand.

提着獭犸的喇嘛要拿獭犸换别着喇叭的哑巴的喇叭；
(tí zhe tǎ mǎ de lǎ ma yào ná tǎ mǎ huàn bié zhe lǎ ba de yǎ ba de lǎ ba;)
The monk holding a flatfish wants to trade his flatfish for a trumpet, with the mute carrying a trumpet.

别着喇叭的哑巴不愿拿喇叭换提着獭犸的喇嘛的獭犸。
(bié zhe lǎ ba de yǎ ba bú yuàn ná lǎ ba huàn tí zhe tǎ mǎ de lǎ ma de tǎ mǎ.)
The mute carrying a trumpet doesn’t want to trade his trumpet with the monk holding a flatfish for the flatfish.

不知是别着喇叭的哑巴打了提着獭犸的喇嘛一喇叭；
(bù zhī shì bié zhe lǎ ba de yǎ ba dǎ le tí zhe tǎ mǎ de lǎ ma yì lǎ ba;)
(I) don’t know if the mute carrying a trumpet hits the monk holding a fish with his trumpet,

还是提着獭犸的喇嘛打了别着喇叭的哑巴一獭犸。
(hái shì tí zhe tǎ mǎ de lǎ ma dǎ le bié zhe lǎ ba de yǎ ba yì tǎ mǎ.)
or the monk carrying a flatfish uses his fish to hit the mute carrying a trumpet.

喇嘛回家炖獭犸，哑巴嘀嘀哒哒吹喇叭。
(lǎ ma huí jiā dùn tǎ mǎ, yǎ ba dī dī dā dā chuī lǎ ba.)
The monk goes home and stews his flatfish. The mute plays his trumpet.

By the way, there’s actually a song for this tongue twister. (Note that it has been modified slightly.)

How to Master Chinese Tongue Twisters

Practicing the Chinese tongue twisters above can strengthen your pronunciation and speaking skills. Some speech therapists even use twisters in their practices for native speakers. So here’s how to master them yourself:

• Always start slow. Make sure you have a good grasp of individual words first. If you’re working on a longer twister, break it into parts (line by line, for example). Once you’ve got the hang of each section, work on putting it together and building up speed.
• Target sounds you struggle with. Do you often mispronounce the zh sound? Is switching between h and f in #11 especially difficult? Whatever the case is, pick out the twisters that include your weakest sounds and keep practicing until they’re second nature.
• Don’t forget about tones. Maybe you think saying all the individual sounds is actually pretty easy (must be nice!). If so, turn your attention to the tones of each word and make sure you’ve got that part down pat as well. A tongue twister like #19 is basically meaningless if the tones aren’t right.
• Have competitions. Once you’ve practiced with these tongue twisters, see how they’ve helped you. Challenge your Chinese friends to a tongue twister competition! Who can say it fastest? Who can say it the most times without messing up?
• Combine tongue twisters with other speaking practice methods. Beyond chatting with natives, you can also reap the rewards of this practice in other ways. Try reading along with (or shadowing) the subtitles on your favorite Chinese shows or movies, for example. You can do this easily with a program like FluentU.

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And if you’re feeling discouraged, don’t. I highly recommend checking out this video of a Chinese teacher quizzing random locals on a Chinese tongue twister for some good loves and a morale boost.

 

Have fun with these sentences, and try not to get your tongue totally tied up in knots!

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