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2.4 Where Do Tone Marks Go in Pinyin? Simple Rules You Must Know

Tone marks in Mandarin aren’t random — they follow a clear rule. In this lesson, we’ll make tone mark placement simple and easy to remember, so you’ll never wonder where to put it again.
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Tone marks are always written on the main vowel of the syllable.

Main vowel priority order: a > o > e > i > u > ü

  • āi, ōu, iē, iā, uō

 

⚠️ Exception Rule

When i and u are combined in the same syllable, the tone mark goes on the second vowel:

  • iu → jiǔ, liù
  • ui → chuī, suí, tuǐ, guì
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