How to pronounce di yi (第一) in Chinese
Di yi (often typed diyi) is written 第一, pinyin dì yī. Hear 第一 (dì yī) spoken, see what it means, then record yourself for instant AI feedback on your pronunciation.
第一
dì yī
Hear it, then test your tones
Take the free 3–5-minute pronunciation test and get a score for every tone.
Characters & meanings
ordinal prefix (第一 = first)
one; single
Common mistake
Falling + high (4-1): dì drops, yī holds level. Crucially, 一 does NOT change tone in ordinals — after 第 it always keeps its original first tone.
Example sentence
这是我第一次来。
Zhè shì wǒ dì yī cì lái.
This is my first time here.
Try it yourself
Record yourself saying 第一 and get instant AI feedback.
</>Embed this on your site
Free for teachers and blogs — paste this code into your page:
Syllables in this word
Related words and sounds
Now say it — see each syllable’s tone
第一dì yī
di yi
Keep exploring
Test your pronunciation
Free, with a score for every word.
Free · 3–5 minutes · no signup
How good is your Chinese pronunciation, really?
Reading about tones is not the same as producing them. Say a few words into your mic and the AI scores every syllable — tone, initial and final — then shows you which sounds are holding you back.
Runs in your browser. Nothing to install.
Train, don't just read
Practice your pronunciation in the app
A guide can explain the tones, but you can't fix your pronunciation by reading. The TonePerfect app lets you actually say the words and scores every syllable — initial, final, and tone — in real time, so you hear your mistakes and correct them on the spot.
- Instant AI feedback on every syllable
- Practice any word, sentence, or HSK list
- Hands-on tone training you can't get from reading
Free to start · 4.7★ · 50,000+ learners