All words ›Qingdao
CityHow to pronounce “Qingdao”
青岛qīng dǎo
Literally: green island.
❌ What English speakers usually say
“king-dao” or “sing-dao”
✅ What to say instead
ching-DOW — same word as the beer on the Tsingtao label
The shape of the word
Tap any syllable to hear it. The curve above each one is the tone you are aiming for.
Syllable by syllable
| Syllable | Tone | Practise it |
|---|---|---|
| 青 qīng | First tone — high and flat | qing — open drill → |
| 岛 dǎo | Third tone — low dip | dao — open drill → |
Questions people ask
How do you pronounce Qingdao?
Qingdao is 青岛, qīng dǎo — ching-DOW — same word as the beer on the Tsingtao label. Literally it means green island.
What is the most common mistake with Qingdao?
“king-dao” or “sing-dao”
More words people mispronounce
Can you actually say it?
Reading a respelling is not the same as producing the tones. The free 2-minute check listens to you and shows which syllables land wrong.