妈 mā 👩 麻 má 🌾 马 mǎ 🐎 骂 mà 😠

One sound, four tunes, four completely different words. This is why tones matter.

🎒 What you need

the shared phone, about 15 minutes
a quiet corner
headphones if you have them

✋ Do this

Open the course tone drill in the phone's browser. Press play and just listen to mā má mǎ mà three times without speaking.
Now play each one and repeat it straight after, still doing the arm movement you learned in module 2.
Use the record button. Record yourself saying all four, then play yours and the model back to back. Fix the one that sounds furthest off.
Play the mixed-up test: the app plays one 'ma' and you say which of the four it was. Get eight right in a row.
Hand the phone back. For the rest of the day, say 妈妈 with a flat tone every time you speak to or about your mother.
Show one person the four characters and make them hear the difference. If they can hear it, you said it right.

💡 Why it works

Your ears must learn the difference before your mouth can produce it, and only a real recorded voice can train them. Recording yourself is the step most learners skip — hearing your own tone next to the model shows you instantly what you cannot hear while you are speaking.

🔥 Challenge

Say one of the four 'ma' words to a friend with your face hidden. Can they tell you which one you meant?

📖 New words

妈妈 māmamother; mum

马 mǎhorse

麻 máhemp; numb

骂 màto scold

吗 maquestion word at the end of a sentence

🐎

Four Tunes

Tap when you have finished this module.