Chinese Pronunciation: A 14-Day Practice Plan (20 Minutes a Day)
This plan is not for practising pronunciation for hours. In 20 minutes a day you do “listen, move your mouth, record” once each, and return to the same words every three days. On a tired day, five minutes is fine — the goal is never to let the recording drop to zero.
| Day | Focus of the 20 min | Practice words / goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | four tones | record 妈 (mā) through 骂 (mà) |
| 2 | 3rd & 4th tone | tell 买 (mǎi) from 卖 (mài) |
| 3 | third tone | say 你好 (nǐ hǎo) with the tone change |
| 4 | u/ü | compare 路 (lù) and 女 (nǚ) |
| 5 | -n/-ng | alternate an/ang, en/eng |
| 6 | compound vowels | link 好 (hǎo), 六 (liù), 对 (duì) |
| 7 | review recording | re-record one weak point from days 1–6 |
| 8 | b/p, d/t | check the air with a tissue |
| 9 | zh/ch/sh | fix the curled-back tongue position |
| 10 | j/q/x, z/c/s | say the three groups apart in turn |
| 11 | neutral tone | place 妈妈 (māma), 朋友 (péngyou) lightly |
| 12 | 一 and 不 | say 一个 (yí ge), 不对 (bú duì) |
| 13 | short sentences | shadow three short sentences |
| 14 | full recording | do the self-assessment |
The daily shape
Spend the first 7 minutes listening and imitating. The next 7, alternate two similar sounds. The last 6, record a short phrase and write down one thing to fix from tone, air, tongue, or rhythm. Re-record the same words two days later to check the fix stuck.
You do not need to be perfect in these 14 days. Afterwards, pick one contrast drill for your weak point and keep it twice a week alongside vocabulary and conversation. As your practice words grow, use the pronunciation workbook again to decide which chapter to return to.