Comments on: Colored Tones on MDBG http://laowaichinese.net/color-coded-tones-on-mdbg.htm Tips and Strategies for Learning to Speak Mandarin Chinese Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:57:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Book Review: Chinese Through Tone & Color http://laowaichinese.net/color-coded-tones-on-mdbg.htm/comment-page-1#comment-8446 Book Review: Chinese Through Tone & Color Wed, 23 Sep 2009 05:00:09 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=729#comment-8446 [...] It turns out that in March MDBG (which created the CEDICT English-Chinese dictionary project) adopted the same color scheme, with the exception of using gray instead of black for the “neutral tone”). I use a [...] [...] It turns out that in March MDBG (which created the CEDICT English-Chinese dictionary project) adopted the same color scheme, with the exception of using gray instead of black for the “neutral tone”). I use a [...]

]]> By: Tone and Color in Chinese | Sinosplice: Life http://laowaichinese.net/color-coded-tones-on-mdbg.htm/comment-page-1#comment-7978 Tone and Color in Chinese | Sinosplice: Life Tue, 11 Aug 2009 01:02:22 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=729#comment-7978 [...] I bring this up because tonal color-coding is already built-in to Anki’s pinyin plugin. Popular online dictionary MDBG has added the color-coding as an optional setting. I hear other browser plugins are adding the feature too. All of them are following the colors set forth in Dummitt’s Chinese through Tone and Color. As one commenter on Laowai Chinese has noted: [...] [...] I bring this up because tonal color-coding is already built-in to Anki’s pinyin plugin. Popular online dictionary MDBG has added the color-coding as an optional setting. I hear other browser plugins are adding the feature too. All of them are following the colors set forth in Dummitt’s Chinese through Tone and Color. As one commenter on Laowai Chinese has noted: [...]

]]> By: Review: Chinese Through Tone & Color | Jacob Job http://laowaichinese.net/color-coded-tones-on-mdbg.htm/comment-page-1#comment-7866 Review: Chinese Through Tone & Color | Jacob Job Tue, 04 Aug 2009 05:30:33 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=729#comment-7866 [...] It turns out that in March MDBG (which created the CEDICT English-Chinese dictionary project) adopted the same color scheme, with the exception of using gray instead of black for the “neutral tone”). I use a [...] [...] It turns out that in March MDBG (which created the CEDICT English-Chinese dictionary project) adopted the same color scheme, with the exception of using gray instead of black for the “neutral tone”). I use a [...]

]]> By: Leia http://laowaichinese.net/color-coded-tones-on-mdbg.htm/comment-page-1#comment-7131 Leia Sat, 21 Mar 2009 04:48:06 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=729#comment-7131 are you sure "shi" is three one? i'm afraid it's the first one. "lao" is the third one. Do you know our chinese also have one thing called no-tone(maybe it can be called it, something like the 1st tone but sound lighter than it)? you can see it as the 1st, cause it have no big difference and we don't distinguish them such clearly. i don't appreciate the color. although it seems intersting, doesn't "āáǎà" enough? i think it easy to mix the tone with the true color.i just suggest you learn the pinyin which have show you the tone clearly, after several times you see the pinyin of the world, you'll remember how to pronounce it. are you sure “shi” is three one?
i’m afraid it’s the first one. “lao” is the third one.

Do you know our chinese also have one thing called no-tone(maybe it can be called it, something like the 1st tone but sound lighter than it)? you can see it as the 1st, cause it have no big difference and we don’t distinguish them such clearly.

i don’t appreciate the color. although it seems intersting, doesn’t “āáǎà” enough? i think it easy to mix the tone with the true color.i just suggest you learn the pinyin which have show you the tone clearly, after several times you see the pinyin of the world, you’ll remember how to pronounce it.

]]> By: Serge http://laowaichinese.net/color-coded-tones-on-mdbg.htm/comment-page-1#comment-7129 Serge Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:18:27 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=729#comment-7129 I have developped a greasemonkey script that do that for all chinese pages see http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/43877 Not the same color though but you can change easily ! I have developped a greasemonkey script that do that for all chinese pages see http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/43877
Not the same color though but you can change easily !

]]> By: Albert http://laowaichinese.net/color-coded-tones-on-mdbg.htm/comment-page-1#comment-7110 Albert Sun, 15 Mar 2009 02:16:56 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=729#comment-7110 Rachel, Yes, I thought about that. The problem of "hóng" 红 being colored yellow is similar to "èr" 二 having a fourth tone. It would have been nice if the first four numbers had four different tones, then they could have named the tones according to the same number than had that very tone. Unfortunately, for the colors, most seem to be second tone. The tones of the main color words in Chinese are: <ul> <li>1st tone = black, brown <li>2nd tone = red, orange, yellow, blue, white <li>3rd tone = purple <li>4th tone = green </ul> If the colored tones at MDBG didn't match other conventions (as Nick mentioned) I would probably recommend changing 1st to black, 3rd to purple, and green to 4th, and then just picking one for 2nd, but I don't know how important or helpful that would really be. Those colors might not show up as well on the screen/page either Rachel,

Yes, I thought about that. The problem of “hóng” 红 being colored yellow is similar to “èr” 二 having a fourth tone. It would have been nice if the first four numbers had four different tones, then they could have named the tones according to the same number than had that very tone. Unfortunately, for the colors, most seem to be second tone.

The tones of the main color words in Chinese are:

  • 1st tone = black, brown
  • 2nd tone = red, orange, yellow, blue, white
  • 3rd tone = purple
  • 4th tone = green

If the colored tones at MDBG didn’t match other conventions (as Nick mentioned) I would probably recommend changing 1st to black, 3rd to purple, and green to 4th, and then just picking one for 2nd, but I don’t know how important or helpful that would really be. Those colors might not show up as well on the screen/page either

]]> By: Rachel http://laowaichinese.net/color-coded-tones-on-mdbg.htm/comment-page-1#comment-7107 Rachel Sat, 14 Mar 2009 18:27:11 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=729#comment-7107 I like it. I think it will be easier to remember the tones. The only confusing thing here is the examples being color words. Ha, reminds me of a matching task they have at the science museum here in San Francisco, where say blue is written in red, etc. and you have to perform a task which ends up completely befuddling. I like it. I think it will be easier to remember the tones. The only confusing thing here is the examples being color words. Ha, reminds me of a matching task they have at the science museum here in San Francisco, where say blue is written in red, etc. and you have to perform a task which ends up completely befuddling.

]]> By: Nick http://laowaichinese.net/color-coded-tones-on-mdbg.htm/comment-page-1#comment-7105 Nick Sat, 14 Mar 2009 01:03:08 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=729#comment-7105 Colors match those used in the book Chinese Through Tone & Color; I'm guessing a convention is already forming around these colors. This is great! Colors match those used in the book Chinese Through Tone & Color; I’m guessing a convention is already forming around these colors. This is great!

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