仄声

仄聲

zèshēng

noun

Meanings

1 oblique tone (in Classical Chinese poetry)
2 non-level tone

Characters

oblique, tilted

Examples

HSK 2

这一句最后一个字必须是仄声。

Zhè yī jù zuìhòu yī gè zì bìxū shì zèshēng.

The last character of this line must be an oblique tone.

HSK 7-9

近体诗讲究平声和仄声的搭配。

Jìntǐshī jiǎngjiu píngshēng hé zèshēng de dāpèi.

Regulated verse pays close attention to the pairing of level and oblique tones.

Tips

history

In Classical Chinese phonology, the four tones split into two prosodic classes: 平 (píng, 'level') and 仄 (zè, 'oblique', covering rising 上, departing 去, and entering 入 tones). The level/oblique alternation is the backbone of regulated verse 律诗 and parallel couplets 对联.

memory

仄 (zè) literally means 'tilted / slanting' - and the oblique tones are precisely the ones that slant up or down rather than holding level.

Stroke Order

仄 zè

声 shēng