The most famous Chinese tongue twister is only four characters long, yet it trips up even advanced learners. It is 四和十 (sì hé shí), “Four and Ten,” and its job is to test the difference between two sounds that look almost identical on paper: 四 (sì, four) and 十 (shí, ten). The first is a flat “s” sound, the second is a retroflex “sh,” and saying them back to back quickly is genuinely hard. In this guide, I will break down the sounds, show you how to practice, and give you the full tongue twister with a translation.
Conceptual illustration of a learner practicing a Chinese tongue twisterWhat Is This Tongue Twister?
The classic tongue twister goes like this, and the whole point is that the words all sound similar:
Listen to the whole tongue twister above, then try it yourself. This tongue twister is a rite of passage for Chinese learners because it trains the two consonant sounds that English speakers most often mix up. It also explains why Chinese learners, when speaking English, sometimes struggle with “s” and “sh” in the opposite direction, since the two languages map these sounds differently.
Why 四 and 十 Are Hard to Distinguish
The difficulty comes from two separate features: the consonant and the tone.
- The consonant: 四 starts with 平舌音 (píng shé yīn), a flat “s” sound made with the tongue flat behind the teeth. 十 starts with 翘舌音 (qiào shé yīn), a retroflex “sh” with the tongue curled back toward the roof of the mouth.
- The tone: 四 (sì) is the fourth tone, falling sharply. 十 (shí) is the second tone, rising. Even with the right consonant, wrong tones turn these words into different meanings entirely.
Here are the three key words of the twister, side by side:
A simple trick to feel the difference: say “see” with your tongue flat, then say “she” with your tongue curled back. The tongue position is the whole game. If you want to sharpen your ear for tones more broadly, our tone traps that boost your HSK score guide covers the same skill in exam context.
How to Practice It
The best way to practice a tongue twister is in three stages, from slow to fast. Do not jump straight to full speed.
- Stage 1: Slow and separate. Say each word alone first: sì, shí, shì. Hold the tone clearly and check your tongue position every time. Slow repetition builds muscle memory.
- Stage 2: Pairs. Link them in pairs: sì shì sì, shí shì shí. Keep the rhythm even and do not rush.
- Stage 3: Full speed. Only now run the whole twister. Record yourself and compare with the audio. If a word slips, go back to stage one for that word.
Practicing out loud is essential, because this tongue twister lives in your mouth, not on the page. For more phrases to build your speaking confidence, our everyday Chinese phrases for self-introduction is a good next step.
More Tongue Twisters to Try
Once you can handle 四和十, try this other classic that works the same muscles:
This one trains the “p” and “t” sounds and is another favorite among Chinese learners. Tongue twisters are one of the most enjoyable ways to improve pronunciation, and they make great warm-up exercises before lessons or presentations.
Common Questions About the Tongue Twister
Perfect Your Pronunciation with a Live Teacher
The fastest way to get sounds like s and sh right is to have a native speaker listen and correct you in real time. At eChineseLearning, our teachers have been helping students refine their pronunciation since 2006, with learners from over 100 countries. A teacher will hear exactly where your tongue goes wrong and fix it on the spot. Book a free 30-minute trial lesson and say 四和十 like a native today. You might also enjoy our guide to the benefits of studying Chinese or our one-on-one Chinese speaking classes for continued practice.
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