Statistical Analysis of F0 Characteristics of “Grade A Level 1” Mandarin Tones: On the Application of the T-Value Method

Professor Chao Yuanren's “Five-level tone letters” is widely regarded as the most practical and effective approach for marking tones in Chinese. It divides speakers' pitch range into five degrees based on auditory perception. The relationship between pitch perception and the physical quantity of fundamental frequency (F0) has long been studied. The Tvalue method is currently the predominant approach for converting Chinese tone values into five degrees, but its application faces unresolved issues. This study examines the distribution of F0 values and tone feature values calculated by the T-value method using data from “Grade A Level 1” Mandarin monosyllabic tones. Results indicate that tone feature values determined by the T-value method are concentrated around critical intervals, reducing consistency within tone categories.