Tone key

Now that you are familiar with the GR spelling of basic forms, you need to learn to identify the modifications used to indicate tone. For any given GR syllable, work through the table from the top down until you identify it.

This spelling Indicates this tone Examples Pinyin
Basic form (or=Pinyin) 1 Exceptions:initial LMNRWY (mnemonic: MaiN RaiLWaY)=T2: Ling,Men,Nian,Ren; Yi, Wu;
-ao=T3: Tao
Ling2, Men2, Nian2, Ren2, Yi2, Wu2; Tao3
Initial U, I; final -(i)au; LMNR+h 1 Uei, Ing, Gau, Biau, Rheng Wei1, Ying1, Gao1, Biau1, Reng1
Added R 2 Cherng, Bair Cheng2, Bai2
Unusual ending 4 Dah, Day, Daw, Shanq, Bann, Ell Da4, Dai4, Dao4, Shang4, Ban4, Er4
Unusual vowels (ignore Y) 3 Daa, Meei, Yeou, Woang, Goei, Beau, Neu, Sheue, Bae Da3, Mei3, You3, Wang3, Gui3, Biao3, Nü3 [u-umlaut], Xue3, Bai3
Y or W 2 Twu, Chwen,
Shyng, Yn, Jyi, Chyun,
Tu2, Chun2,
Xing2, Yin2, Ji2, Qun2
Dot or no vowel Neutral Piaw.lianq, san g,sherm, jiowsh Piao4liang, san1 ge, shen2me, jiu4shi


You should now be able to read a simple text in GR ...

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