Eating together at a Chinese restaurant is a stage for your relationship to dance on.

There is nothing wrong with the students ear; the problem is the way third tone has been taught for decades, as if it had a rising tail.

Except for an exceptional isolated circumstance, the third tone does not go down and then up again, and it should not be called the “dipping tone.” It should be called the “low tone,” because it is spoken in the lowest part of your vocal range. It is most often short and flat.

Tones should not be taught in isolation, but always in combination with other tones. See our episode about the twenty combinations.

Simply use the higher part of your vocal range to instantly improve your tones. We do this in English when we are being expressive. It only take a little discipline until you get into the habit.

Would you like a free* Chinese Tone tune-up? Contact me to schedule your remote coaching session. Any level student welcome. *Free if you allow excerpts from the session to be used as a future episode of “Chinese Tone Whisperer.” You only need to download the anchor.fm app and set a time to do the session remotely. Contact me at [email protected].

The secret to Paul Condrell’s productivity over a 30 year career in China as entrepreneur and linguist has been his uncanny ability to build trust relationships. If you are seeking opportunities in China, this podcast will help you shorten the learning curve by sharing stories of overcoming cultural friction.

Condrell’s direct marketing company opened the China market for the several U.S. brands; it employed over 200 and sustained 8 figures in annual sales for a decade. It managed VIP loyalty programs for Proctor & Gamble and Bank of China. He founded a community center in Guangzhou, and led church services there.

He holds a Bachelors’ in Linguistics and a Law Degree from Columbia University, and he taught Chinese and business at Wheaton College. His unique methods for teaching Chinese tones and characters were developed into iOS apps.

Aside from the podcast, he helps those pursuing China business opportunities or career advancement with online courses and training that demystify China’s complexity thus increasing their prospects for success.