Children start practicing English tongue twisters like “She sells seashells by the seashore” at an early age, enjoying the challenge of twisting their tongues around tricky sounds.
Similarly, Chinese tongue twisters, or 绕口令 (ràokǒulìng), are a fun and effective way to master Mandarin pronunciation.
I don’t remember the first Chinese tongue twister I learned, but I do remember the excitement of trying to say them as fast as possible without stumbling.
Some were short and playful, while others seemed impossible to say smoothly — but that was what made them so much fun!
In this guide, we’re diving into the world of Chinese tongue twisters — those delightfully tricky phrases that make your brain work overtime and your tongue feel like it’s doing gymnastics.
We’ll explore why they’re useful, break down some fun (and frustrating!) examples, and give you tips on how to master them like a pro.
If you’re just beginning your Mandarin journey and battling those tricky tones, or you’re a seasoned learner craving a true test of speed and precision, you’ll find a tongue twister here that’s bound to keep you on your toes.
Let’s get twisting!
6 Easy Chinese Tongue Twisters
1. 四是四 (Sì shì sì)
四是四，
Sì shì sì
十是十，
Shí shì shí
十四是十四，
Shísì shì shísì
四十是四十。
Sìshí shì sìshí莫把四字说成十，
Mò bǎ sì zì shuō chéng shí
休将十字说成四。
Xiū jiāng shí zì shuō chéng sì
若要分清四十和十四，
Ruò yào fēnqīng sìshí hé shísì
经常练说十和四。
Jīngcháng liàn shuō shí hé sì
Four is four, ten is ten, fourteen is fourteen, forty is forty. Don’t pronounce four as ten, and don’t say ten as four. If you want to distinguish clearly between forty and fourteen, practice saying ten and four frequently.
This tongue twister (my personal favorite) is an excellent way to practice distinguishing between “s” and “sh” sounds, helping learners build confidence in their pronunciation while having fun.
Read more: How Chinese Numbers Can be Fun
2. 妈妈骑马 (Māma qí mǎ)
妈妈骑马，
Māma qí mǎ
马慢，
Mǎ màn
妈妈骂马。
Māma mà mǎ
Mom rides a horse. The horse is slow. Mom scolds the horse.
This short and rhythmic tongue twister is great for practicing tone distinctions in Mandarin, especially the first, third, and fourth tones found in mā (mother), mǎ (horse), and mà (to scold). It’s perfect for reinforcing how tones completely change meaning in Mandarin words that otherwise look and sound similar.
3. 喇嘛和哑巴 (Lǎma hé yǎbā)
喇嘛骂哑巴，
Lǎma mà yǎbā
哑巴骂喇嘛，
Yǎbā mà lǎma
喇嘛骂哑巴不说话，
Lǎma mà yǎbā bù shuō huà
哑巴骂喇嘛乱说话。
Yǎbā mà lǎma luàn shuō huà
The lama scolds the mute, the mute scolds the lama. The lama scolds the mute for not speaking, while the mute scolds the lama for talking nonsense.
This tongue twister is great for practicing third-tone contrast, especially between similar-sounding syllables like “lǎ” and “yǎ.” It also highlights the subtle differences in articulation between “mà” and “bā,” which share the same final but differ in initial consonants.
4. 鸟岛 (Niǎo dǎo)
鸟在岛上飞，
Niǎo zài dǎo shàng fēi
岛在鸟下飘，
Dǎo zài niǎo xià piāo
鸟和岛一起飘。
Niǎo hé dǎo yìqǐ piāo
Birds fly above the island, the island floats beneath the birds, and the birds and island drift together.
This tongue twister is helpful for practicing the third tone in words like “niǎo” (bird) and “dǎo” (island). It also trains you to say each word clearly, even when they sound similar. The simple sentence pattern makes it easier for learners to focus on tones and rhythm without getting overwhelmed.
5. 王婆卖瓜 (Wáng pó mài guā）
王婆卖瓜
自卖自夸Wáng pó mài guā
Zì mài zì kuā
Grandma Wang sells melons. She praises them herself.
This is a short but fun tongue twister that teaches rhythm and natural speech flow.
6. 白庙白猫 (Bái miào bái māo)
白庙有只白猫，
Bái miào yǒu zhī bái māo
白猫跑进白庙，
Bái māo pǎo jìn bái miào
白庙不让白猫跑进白庙，
Bái miào bú ràng bái māo pǎo jìn bái miào
白猫偏要跑进白庙。
Bái māo piān yào pǎo jìn bái miào
There is a white cat at the White Temple. The white cat runs into the White Temple. The temple refuses to let the white cat in, but the white cat insists on running inside.
This tongue twister helps learners distinguish between the “b” and “p” initials and also between “māo” (cat) and “miào” (temple), which differ only in the final sound.
10 Funny Chinese Tongue Twisters
1. 吃葡萄不吐葡萄皮 (Chī pú táo bù tǔ pú táo pí)
吃葡萄不吐葡萄皮，
Chī pútao bù tǔ pútao pí
不吃葡萄倒吐葡萄皮，
Bù chī pútao dào tǔ pútao pí
吃了葡萄吐葡萄皮，
Chī le pútao tǔ pútao pí
没吃葡萄倒吐葡萄皮。
Méi chī pútao dào tǔ pútao pí
Eat grapes without spitting out the skin. Don’t eat grapes but spit out the skin. Ate the grapes and spit out the skin. Didn’t eat grapes but still spit out the skin. This tongue twister challenges clarity with the repeated “p,” “t,” and “ch” sounds.
2. 老师是不是四十四的？ (Lǎoshī shì bù shì sìshísì de?)
老师是不是四十四的？
Lǎoshī shì bù shì sìshísì de?
四十四是不是老师的？
Sìshísì shì bù shì lǎoshī de?
Is the teacher forty-four years old? Is forty-four the teacher’s number? This short and funny twister plays with the repetition of “sh” and “s” initials, sharpening pronunciation and tone control.
3. 天津和北京 (Tiānjīn hé Běijīng)
天津是天津，
Tiānjīn shì Tiānjīn
北京是北京。
Běijīng shì Běijīng
天津不是北京，
Tiānjīn bú shì Běijīng
北京不是天津。
Běijīng bú shì Tiānjīn
Tianjin is Tianjin. Beijing is Beijing. Tianjin is not Beijing. Beijing is not Tianjin. This short and humorous tongue twister reinforces place names and contrasts the initials “b” and “t,” as well as the finals “-in” and “-ing” in a clear and repetitive way.
4. 知道就说知道 (Zhī dào jiù shuō zhī dào)
知道就说知道，
Zhī dào jiù shuō zhī dào
不知道就说不知道，
Bù zhī dào jiù shuō bù zhī dào
你知道不知道？
Nǐ zhī dào bù zhī dào?
If you know, then say you know. If you don’t know, say you don’t know. Do you know or not? This tongue twister helps distinguish between affirmative and negative forms of “zhī dào” (to know). Despite its rhythm, it challenges speakers to maintain tone clarity with repeated usage of “zhī” (first tone) and “dào” (fourth tone).
5. 颜圆眼和颜眼圆 (Yán Yuányǎn hé Yán Yǎnyuán)
颜圆眼，
Yán Yuányǎn
颜眼圆，
Yán Yǎnyuán
颜圆眼比颜眼圆更圆。
Yán Yuányǎn bǐ Yán Yǎnyuán gèng yuán
Yan Yuanyan, Yan Yanyuan. Yan Yuanyan’s eyes are rounder than Yan Yanyuan’s. This tongue twister helps learners practice tone discrimination and the contrast between “yuán” (round), “yǎn” (eye), and “yán” (surname), which are close in both sound and tone. It sharpens clarity in rapid tone.
6. 是十石狮子 (Shì shí shí shīzi)
市上有十个石狮子，
Shì shàng yǒu shí gè shí shīzi
谁说是十个死狮子？
Shéi shuō shì shí gè sǐ shīzi?
不是十个死狮子，
Bù shì shí gè sǐ shīzi
是十个石狮子。
Shì shí gè shí shīzi
On the street, there are ten stone lions. Who said they were ten dead lions? They are not ten dead lions, they are ten stone lions. This short and rhythmical twister challenges learners to differentiate the initials “sh” and “s,” as well as handle similar-sounding syllables under tone pressure.
7. 红凤凰，粉凤凰 (Hóng fènghuáng, fěn fènghuáng)
红凤凰，
Hóng fènghuáng
粉凤凰，
Fěn fènghuáng
粉红凤凰，
Fěnhóng fènghuáng
红粉凤凰，
Hóngfěn fènghuáng
凤凰飞，
Fènghuáng fēi
粉凤凰，
Fěn fènghuáng
红凤凰，
Hóng fènghuáng
粉红凤凰一块飞。
Fěnhóng fènghuáng yíkuài fēi
Red phoenix, pink phoenix, pink-red phoenix, red-pink phoenix. Phoenixes fly — pink phoenix, red phoenix, and pink-red phoenix fly together.
This tongue twister is perfect for practicing the contrast between the initials h and f, as in hóng (red), fěn (pink), and fènghuáng (phoenix). These two sounds may seem similar, but for non-native speakers, they require distinct mouth movements: f requires the upper teeth to touch the lower lip, while h is produced from the back of the throat with no lip contact. Watching and mimicking these subtle lip actions can help learners improve accuracy and natural pronunciation.
8. 西施 (Xī Shī)
西施死时四十四，
Xī Shī sǐ shí sìshísì
四十四时死西施。
Sìshísì shí sǐ Xī Shī
Xi Shi died at the age of forty-four. At forty-four, Xi Shi died.
This tongue twister helps learners tell apart number words that sound very similar, such as sì (four), shí (ten), and sǐ (to die). These words have different tones, and mixing them up can change the meaning. Practicing this helps improve your tone accuracy and speaking clarity when using number-related words in Mandarin.
9. 青龙洞中龙做梦 (Qīnglóng dòng zhōng lóng zuòmèng)
青龙洞中龙做梦，
Qīnglóng dòng zhōng lóng zuòmèng
青龙做梦出龙洞，
Qīnglóng zuòmèng chū lóng dòng
做了千年万载梦。
Zuò le qiān nián wàn zǎi mèng
In the Green Dragon Cave, a dragon dreams. The dragon dreams of leaving the cave, a dream it has dreamt for thousands upon thousands of years. Learners can use this as a warm-up to improve expressive fluency, pacing, and poetic rhythm.
10. 老六放牛 (Lǎo liù fàng niú)
老六有六头牛，
Lǎo Liù yǒu liù tóu niú
老刘有牛六头，
Lǎo Liú yǒu niú liù tóu
老六的六头牛比老刘的六头牛瘦，
Lǎo Liù de liù tóu niú bǐ Lǎo Liú de liù tóu niú shòu
老刘的六头牛比老六的六头牛牛。
Lǎo Liú de liù tóu niú bǐ Lǎo Liù de liù tóu niú niú
Old Liù has six cows, and so does Old Liú. But Old Liù’s six cows are thinner than Old Liú’s six cows. Meanwhile, Old Liú’s cows are even more cow-like than Old Liù’s cows!
This tongue twister plays heavily on the sounds “liù” (six), “niú” (cow), and the surnames “Liú” and “Liù,” creating a humorous challenge in tone accuracy, initial-nasal distinctions, and rhythm control. It’s perfect for learners practicing second and fourth tone contrast in short noun phrases.
6 Chinese Tongue Twisters for Children
1. 小猫钓鱼 (Xiǎo māo diào yú)
小猫钓鱼不上钩，
Xiǎo māo diào yú bú shàng gōu
专心钓鱼不抬头。
Zhuānxīn diào yú bù tái tóu
Little cat goes fishing but doesn’t catch anything, because it isn’t paying attention. Focus is key!
2. 山上有树 (Shān shàng yǒu shù)
山上有树，
Shān shàng yǒu shù
树上有猴。
Shù shàng yǒu hóu
猴子摘果，
Hóuzi zhāi guǒ
果掉猴愁。
Guǒ diào hóu chóu
There’s a tree on the mountain. A monkey climbs it. He picks fruit. It falls. He’s sad.
3. 瓜大皮厚 (Guā dà pí hòu)
大瓜皮厚不怕摔，
Dà guā pí hòu bú pà shuāi
小瓜皮薄易破开。
Xiǎo guā pí bó yì pò kāi
Big melons have thick skins and don’t break easily. Small melons have thin skins and break easily.
4. 小白兔 (Xiǎo bái tù)
小白兔，
Xiǎo bái tù
白又白，
Bái yòu bái
两只耳朵竖起来。
Liǎng zhī ěrduo shù qǐlái
Little white rabbit, so white and cute, two ears standing up.
5. 小鸡吃米 (Xiǎo jī chī mǐ)
小鸡小鸡吃吃米，
Xiǎo jī xiǎo jī chī chī mǐ
吃完米来喝喝水。
Chī wán mǐ lái hē hē shuǐ
Little chicks eat some rice, then drink some water.
6. 小鸭子游泳 (Xiǎo yāzi yóuyǒng)
小鸭子游泳，
Xiǎo yāzi yóuyǒng
一会儿沉下一会儿浮。
Yī huìr chén xià yī huìr fú
The little duck swims. Sometimes it sinks, sometimes it floats.
5 Hardest Chinese Tongue Twisters
1. 化肥会挥发 (Huàféi huì huīfā)
化肥会挥发。
Huàféi huì huīfā
黑化肥发灰，灰化肥发黑。
Hēi huàféi fā huī, huī huàféi fā hēi
黑化肥发灰会挥发；灰化肥挥发会发黑。
Hēi huàféi fā huī huì huīfā; huī huàféi huīfā huì fā hēi黑化肥挥发发灰会花飞；灰化肥挥发发黑会飞花。
Hēi huàféi huīfā fā huī huì huā fēi; huī huàféi huīfā fā hēi huì fēi huā
黑灰化肥会挥发发灰黑讳为花飞；灰黑化肥会挥发发黑灰为讳飞花。
Hēi huī huàféi huì huīfā fā huī hēi huì wéi huā fēi; huī hēi huàféi huì huīfā fā hēi huī wéi huì fēi huā
黑灰化肥灰会挥发发灰黑讳为黑灰花会飞；灰黑化肥会会挥发发黑灰为讳飞花化为灰。
Hēi huī huàféi huī huì huīfā fā huī hēi huì wéi hēi huī huā huì fēi; huī hēi huàféi huì huì huīfā fā hēi huī wéi huì fēi huā huà wéi huī
黑化黑灰化肥灰会挥发发灰黑讳为黑灰花会回飞；灰化灰黑化肥会会挥发发黑灰为讳飞花回化为灰。
Hēi huà hēi huī huàféi huī huì huīfā fā huī hēi huì wéi hēi huī huā huì huí fēi; huī huà huī hēi huàféi huì huì huīfā fā hēi huī wéi huì fēi huā huí huà wéi huī
This tongue twister is a playful exercise in articulation. It focuses on the contrast between the sounds “h” and “f,” as well as the finals “ei,” “ui,” and their tonal variations. I challenge you to try this one — it’s a true mouthful, even for native Chinese speakers. 😂
It loosely tells the story of different types and colors of chemical fertilizers volatilizing, turning gray, black, or causing flowers to fly and fade — creating a humorous and nonsensical image. Ideal for improving your tonal awareness, mouth agility, and speech fluency in fast-paced Mandarin.
2. 八百标兵 (Bābǎi biāobīng)
八百标兵奔北坡，
Bābǎi biāobīng bēn běipō
炮兵并排北边跑，
Pàobīng bìngpái běibiān pǎo
炮兵怕把标兵碰，
Pàobīng pà bǎ biāobīng pèng
标兵怕碰炮兵炮。
Biāobīng pà pèng pàobīng pào
Eight hundred marksmanship soldiers rush up the north slope. Artillery troops run side by side on the northern side. The artillery troops are afraid of bumping into the marksmanship troops, and the marksmanship troops are afraid of hitting the artillery shells.
This twister plays with “b,” “p,” and tonal shifts, making it a popular challenge in competitions.
3. 牛郎恋刘娘 (Niú láng liàn Liú niáng)
牛郎恋刘娘，
Niú láng liàn Liú niáng
刘娘念牛郎，
Liú niáng niàn Niú láng
牛郎牛年恋刘娘，
Niú láng niú nián liàn Liú niáng
刘娘年年念牛郎，
Liú niáng nián nián niàn Niú láng
郎恋娘来娘念郎，
Láng liàn niáng lái niáng niàn láng
念娘恋郎，
Niàn niáng liàn láng
念恋娘郎！
Niàn liàn niáng láng
The cowherd loves Liu Niang, Liu Niang misses the cowherd. In the Year of the Ox, the cowherd still loves Liu Niang, and every year, Liu Niang misses him. The young man loves the lady and the lady misses him. Missing turns to loving, and love binds them together.
This lyrical and looping tongue twister plays with the similar sounds of “niáng,” “láng,” “niàn,” and “liàn,” testing your ability to distinguish between the initials “l” and “n,” and the finals “ang,” “ian,” and “iang.” These sounds can be confusing for learners. Practicing them in a rhythmic tongue twister helps build accuracy, muscle memory, and clearer tonal production.
4. 司小四和史小世赶集市 (Sī Xiǎosì hé Shǐ Xiǎoshì gǎn jíshì)
司小四和史小世，四月十四日十四时四十上集市，
Sī Xiǎosì hé Shǐ Xiǎoshì, sì yuè shísì rì shísì shí sìshí shàng jíshì
司小四买了四十四斤四两西红柿，
Sī Xiǎosì mǎi le sìshísì jīn sì liǎng xīhóngshì
史小世买了十四斤四两细蚕丝。
Shǐ Xiǎoshì mǎi le shísì jīn sì liǎng xì cánsī
司小四要拿四十四斤四两西红柿换史小世十四斤四两细蚕丝。
Sī Xiǎosì yào ná sìshísì jīn sì liǎng xīhóngshì huàn Shǐ Xiǎoshì shísì jīn sì liǎng xì cánsī
史小世十四斤四两细蚕丝不换司小四四十四斤四两西红柿。
Shǐ Xiǎoshì shísì jīn sì liǎng xì cánsī bú huàn Sī Xiǎosì sìshísì jīn sì liǎng xīhóngshì
司小四说我四十四斤四两西红柿可以增加营养防近视，
Sī Xiǎosì shuō wǒ sìshísì jīn sì liǎng xīhóngshì kěyǐ zēngjiā yíngyǎng fáng jìnshì
史小世说我十四斤四两细蚕丝可以织绸织缎又抽丝。
Shǐ Xiǎoshì shuō wǒ shísì jīn sì liǎng xì cánsī kěyǐ zhī chóu zhī duàn yòu chōusī
Si Xiaosi and Shi Xiaoshi went to the market at 14:40 on April 14th. Si Xiaosi bought 44 jin and 4 liang of tomatoes. Shi Xiaoshi bought 14 jin and 4 liang of fine silk. Si Xiaosi wanted to trade his tomatoes for Shi Xiaoshi’s silk, but Shi Xiaoshi refused. Si Xiaosi argued that his tomatoes could boost nutrition and prevent nearsightedness, while Shi Xiaoshi explained that his silk could be woven into fine satin or spun into thread.
This tongue twister is particularly effective for practicing the “sh” and “s” initials, tone clarity with numerals (like sìshísì and shísì), and fluency with repetition under pressure. The layered repetition helps learners refine precision and rhythm in fast-paced speech.
5. 板凳宽，扁担长 (Bǎndèng kuān, biǎndan cháng)
板凳宽，扁担长。
Bǎndèng kuān, biǎndan cháng
扁担没有板凳宽，板凳没有扁担长。
Biǎndan méiyǒu bǎndèng kuān, bǎndèng méiyǒu biǎndan cháng
扁担绑在板凳上，板凳偏不让扁担绑在板凳上，
Biǎndan bǎng zài bǎndèng shàng, bǎndèng piān bù ràng biǎndan bǎng zài bǎndèng shàng
扁担偏要扁担绑在板凳上。
Biǎndan piān yào biǎndan bǎng zài bǎndèng shàng
The bench is wide, the carrying pole is long. The pole is not as wide as the bench, and the bench is not as long as the pole. The pole is tied to the bench, but the bench refuses to let it be tied, while the pole insists on being tied to the bench. This classic twister is great for practicing contrast between the initials “b” and “d” (as in Bǎndèng and biǎndan).
Tips to Master Chinese Tongue Twisters Like a Pro
Tongue tied? No worries! Here are some fun and practical ways to level up your skills and sound like a native:
1. Start Slow
Don’t rush! Read each tongue twister slowly, line by line. Focus on each tone and sound. Speed comes later.
2. Break It Down
Split tricky lines into smaller chunks. Practice a few words at a time, then string them together.
3. Say It, See It, Hear It
Speak it out loud, read along, and listen to native recordings if available. Seeing, hearing, and saying reinforces memory and muscle movement.
4. Record Yourself
Use your phone to record yourself. Play it back and spot areas where you stumble or lose clarity.
5. Practice Tones Separately
If you’re struggling with tone pairs like “shí” vs. “sì” or “mā” vs. “mà,” practice them in isolation first.
6. Use Hand Gestures
Many learners use their hands to show rising or falling tones while speaking — fun and surprisingly effective!
7. Turn It into a Game
Challenge a friend to a tongue twister battle. Who can say it fastest and clearest? Loser buys bubble tea!
8. Make It a Daily Habit
Just 5 minutes a day of tongue twister practice can sharpen your pronunciation over time.
9. Pair with Vocabulary Learning
Use tongue twisters to reinforce new words. The more you say them, the more they’ll stick.
Read more:
10. Laugh It Off!
You will mess up — and that’s okay! The goal is improvement, not perfection. Embrace the challenge and have fun with it.
Keep practicing and revisit your favorites as you improve!
Share Your Thoughts!
I had a blast putting together this list of Chinese tongue twisters, and I hope it brought a smile (and maybe a fun challenge) to your practice too.
Remember, it’s way more fun when you read them out loud with friends — laughter guaranteed!
Which Chinese tongue twister made you laugh, and which one twisted your tongue into a knot?
Let me know in the comments — I’d love to hear which one you found most fun or most difficult!
And yes, some of these translations might sound a bit odd… but hey, that’s the beauty of tongue twisters — they’re made to trip you up, not always make perfect sense!
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