Tone 3: low / dipping

Isolation vs speech

In careful citation form, tone 3 falls then rises. In natural speech before another syllable, it is often just low.

Before another tone 3, the first syllable usually becomes tone 2 (sandhi).

Over-dipping every third tone in phrases can sound unnatural.

Low comfort zone

Find a low pitch that is clear but not painful or overly creaky.

Practice 我、你、好、小、想 as a low set.

Then put them into short phrases without forcing a big final rise.

Sandhi priority

Drill 你好、很好、可以 every day until automatic.

Say citation nǐ + hǎo, then spoken ní hǎo.

Remember writing may still show original tones.

Against other tones

Contrast mǎ with mā/má/mà so tone 3 does not collapse into tone 2.

Tone 3 should feel lower than tone 2’s starting point.

In 是不是 style phrases later, keep third-tone words distinct.

Practice tips

• Practice a low comfort zone without forcing pain.
• Drill 你好, 很好, 可以 for sandhi.
• In phrases, prioritize “stay low” over a big citation dip.
• Contrast tone 3 with tone 2 daily so they do not merge.