<p>質(quality/ hostage) has only one pinyin /zhi4 / in Mandarin. the link <a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/1028/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/1028/</a> you posted also confirmed this fact.</p>
<p>In Cantonese:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>質(quality) is read as  /jan4/ as in '品質'</p>
</li>
<li><p>質(hostage) is read as /zi3/ as in '人質'</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>In Mandarin:</p>
<ul>
<li>'質' in both '品質' and '人質' are pronounced /zhi4 /</li>
</ul>
<p>The Taiwan dictionary listed /zhi2/ as the pinyin for noun and /zhi4/ as the pinyin for verb seem to be an archaic practice. Apparently, the two different readings of verb and noun for 質 had been consolidated into only one in modern Mandarin.</p>
<p>My conclusion is, modern Mandarin only read '質'  as /zhi4/ ; The /zhi2/ pinyin is either archaic or limited in regional use in Taiwan</p>
<p><strong>Edition:</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<ul>
<li><p>When the meanings of 質 are related to Jyutping ‘zat1’ (quality), both zhi4 (China) and zhi2 (Taiwan) are standard readings;</p>
</li>
<li><p>When the meanings of 質 are related to Jyutping 'zi3 ' (hostage) ,  'zhi4'  is the standard in both China and Taiwan</p>
</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-02T04:48:00.473Z
The Cantonese site references some words with zhi2, hence the confusion. The question is updated with two of these words with zhi2 instead of zhi4. Thanks!
Crashalot
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-02T04:50:06.343Z
Thanks for answering so far, looking forward to what you say after seeing the new links in the question.
Crashalot
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-06T23:43:38.247Z
hi tang, did you get to see the links in the question which show 質 in the second tone on the cantonese dictionary? thanks again for your help!
Crashalot
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-06T23:53:02.930Z
CantoDict  made a mistake. I will notify the editor
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-07T03:55:49.163Z
@Crashalot --  After consulting the editor of CantoDict, it is confirmed  the /zhi2/ pinyin is unique to Taiwan, a regional variant of / zhi4/. That means you can use it, but people would think you are from Taiwan  -reference: http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/phorum/read.php?14,142368,142375#msg-142375
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-07T04:06:50.993Z
Edited answer to include the latest finding.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-07T22:23:12.837Z
Very cool, thanks so much! Didn't realize you were active on CantoDict! Thanks very much for your contributions here and there! You're amazing. :)
Crashalot
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-01T00:14:36.487Z
2017-10-07T04:05:56.220Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Tang Ho
<p>In Mainland China, 质 is always zhi4, the 4th tone.</p>
<p>In the words listed in cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/1028/?full=true , you can see same [TW] marks (like the following) :</p>
<blockquote>
<p>神經質  san4 ging1 zat1  shen2 jing1 [TW] zhi2 [PRC] zhi4</p>
</blockquote>
<p>That may be where the zhi2 sound comes from (although some of the words do not have the mark). But I do not have a dictionary from Taiwan to check how it is regulated there.</p>
<p>As for Google translate, it is not a great source for this kind research, and I want to report a bug if I can.</p>
<p>Edit:</p>
<p>Found an <a href="http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?ccd=ez90.5&amp;o=e0&amp;sec=sec1&amp;index=1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">online dictionary in Taiwan</a>, and 质 has two pronunciations there:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?ccd=_8iQ.3&amp;o=e0&amp;sec=sec1&amp;op=v&amp;view=0-1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">zhi2</a> :<br />
[名]<br />
1 事物的根本、特性。如：「特質」、「流質」。《論語．衛靈公》：「君子義以為質，禮以行之。」《史記．卷二四．樂書》：「中正無邪，禮之質也。」<br />
2 人的天性稟賦。如：「資質」。<br />
3 樸實的本性。如：「文質彬彬」。《論語．雍也》：「質勝文則野，文勝質則史。」《韓非子．解老》：「夫君子取情而去貌，好質而惡飾。」<br />
4 形軀、形體。三國魏．曹植〈愍志賦〉：「豈良時之難俟，痛余質之日虧。」<br />
5 箭靶、標的。《荀子．勸學》：「是故質的張而弓矢至焉。」《後漢書．卷六十上．馬融》：「流矢雨墜，各指所質。」<br />
6 古代的一種刑具。《史記．卷九六．張丞相傳》：「蒼坐法當斬，解衣伏質。」<br />
[動]<br />
詰問。《禮記．中庸》：「質諸鬼神而無疑。」</p>
<p><a href="http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?ccd=_8iQ.3&amp;o=e0&amp;sec=sec1&amp;op=v&amp;view=0-2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">zhi4</a>:<br />
[動]<br />
用財物或人作保證以為抵押。如：「質押」。《戰國策．趙策四》：「於是為長安君約車百乘，質於齊，齊兵乃出。」<br />
[名]<br />
拜見長輩時奉上的見面禮。通「贄」。《孟子．滕文公下》：「出疆必載質。」漢．趙岐．注：「質，臣所執以見君者也。」《史記．卷八四．屈原賈生傳》：「乃令張儀詳去秦，厚幣委質事楚。」</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-16T00:12:41.707Z
+1, as you point out it could be regional. 2nd tone may be inherited from classical Chinese I guess. In modern mandarin, we always stay the 4th tone. But sometime, we might apply 2nd tone in the word 质量 I think. It's considered to be wrong.
dan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-16T01:00:26.617Z
Thanks, it could definitely be Taiwanese but even Google varies here and there. Perhaps Google is not reliable as you said. Would you kindly mind translating the meaning of the Taiwanese dictionary? Thanks again!
Crashalot
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-16T01:31:30.707Z
@Crashalot the translation might be too hard for me ... basicly it is only zhi4 when it means gift or pledge.
fefe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-16T01:40:17.747Z
@fefe so what you are saying is 質 is pronounced zhi2 in Taiwan (with few exceptions) and zhi4 in Mainland China? Thanks again!
Crashalot
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-16T00:02:59.453Z
2017-09-16T00:42:08.490Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
fefe
<p>You should always pronounce the 4th tone in the standard mandarin. </p>

<p>Sometimes, I heard people wrongly pronounced the 2nd tone in the words of 质量，质地, which is probably acceptable to a native ear. But again that's wrong pronunciation.   </p>

<p>But if you pronounce the 2nd tone for 质疑，品质, it's really bad (at least to me). </p>

<p>An interesting observation, in a online dictionary, I search for <a href="http://www.zdic.net/c/8/152/337931.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">质地</a>， and it's marked the 4th tone for simplified and 2th tone for traditional one.  So, I doubt this could be regional thing as fefe suggested in his/her answer.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-15T23:59:51.963Z
2017-09-16T00:35:29.620Z
2017-09-16T00:35:29.620Z
dan
<p>In Mandarin, sometimes 質 is pronounced with the 2nd tone (e.g., 質地, 特質) and other times it's pronounced with the 4th tone (e.g., 質疑, 質量, 品質).</p>

<p>Here are two words pronounced with the 2nd tone:</p>

<ul>
<li>質地 <a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/11242/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/11242/</a></li>
<li>特質 <a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/48232/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/48232/</a></li>
</ul>

<p>There doesn't appear to be a clear pattern.</p>

<p>Does anyone know any rules for when to pronounce 質 with 2nd tone vs. 4th tone?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-15T23:47:14.920Z
Where did you see that it can be pronounced as the 2nd tone?
fefe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-15T23:49:15.803Z
@fefe here: http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/1028/?full=true and also google translate (when you check the words listed).
Crashalot
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-16T01:37:02.980Z
小马词典：  Taiwan pr. [zhi2]
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-30T23:59:06.210Z
@TangHo thanks for the fast response! the cantonese dictionary site lists 2nd tone for some words as indicated in the question. could it be 2nd tone in taiwan and 4th tone in china?
Crashalot
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-01T00:18:24.433Z
I posted my opinion in an answer. Your question remind me of a question I asked https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/22333/pinyin-of-%e8%bb%8a-in-idioms
Tang Ho
<mandarin><pronunciation><tones>
質: when to pronounce in 2nd tone or 4th (Mandarin)?
# 質: when to pronounce in 2nd tone or 4th (Mandarin)?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-09-15)

In Mandarin, sometimes 質 is pronounced with the 2nd tone (e.g., 質地, 特質) and other times it's pronounced with the 4th tone (e.g., 質疑, 質量, 品質).

Here are two words pronounced with the 2nd tone:

* 質地 <http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/11242/>
* 特質 <http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/48232/>

There doesn't appear to be a clear pattern.

Does anyone know any rules for when to pronounce 質 with 2nd tone vs. 4th tone?

**Tags:** mandarin, pronunciation, tones
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Where did you see that it can be pronounced as the 2nd tone?  
> **username_0**: @fefe here: http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/1028/?full=true and also google translate (when you check the words listed).  
> **username_2**: 小马词典：  Taiwan pr. [zhi2]  
> **username_0**: @TangHo thanks for the fast response! the cantonese dictionary site lists 2nd tone for some words as indicated in the question. could it be 2nd tone in taiwan and 4th tone in china?  
> **username_3**: I posted my opinion in an answer. Your question remind me of a question I asked https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/22333/pinyin-of-%e8%bb%8a-in-idioms  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-10-01. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

質(quality/ hostage) has only one pinyin /zhi4 / in Mandarin. the link <http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/1028/> you posted also confirmed this fact.

In Cantonese:

* 質(quality) is read as /jan4/ as in '品質'
* 質(hostage) is read as /zi3/ as in '人質'

In Mandarin:

* '質' in both '品質' and '人質' are pronounced /zhi4 /

The Taiwan dictionary listed /zhi2/ as the pinyin for noun and /zhi4/ as the pinyin for verb seem to be an archaic practice. Apparently, the two different readings of verb and noun for 質 had been consolidated into only one in modern Mandarin.

My conclusion is, modern Mandarin only read '質' as /zhi4/ ; The /zhi2/ pinyin is either archaic or limited in regional use in Taiwan

**Edition:**

> * When the meanings of 質 are related to Jyutping ‘zat1’ (quality), both zhi4 (China) and zhi2 (Taiwan) are standard readings;
> * When the meanings of 質 are related to Jyutping 'zi3 ' (hostage) , 'zhi4' is the standard in both China and Taiwan

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: The Cantonese site references some words with zhi2, hence the confusion. The question is updated with two of these words with zhi2 instead of zhi4. Thanks!  
> **username_0**: Thanks for answering so far, looking forward to what you say after seeing the new links in the question.  
> **username_0**: hi tang, did you get to see the links in the question which show 質 in the second tone on the cantonese dictionary? thanks again for your help!  
> **username_3**: CantoDict  made a mistake. I will notify the editor  
> **username_3**: @Crashalot --  After consulting the editor of CantoDict, it is confirmed  the /zhi2/ pinyin is unique to Taiwan, a regional variant of / zhi4/. That means you can use it, but people would think you are from Taiwan  -reference: http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/phorum/read.php?14,142368,142375#msg-142375  
> **username_3**: Edited answer to include the latest finding.  
> **username_0**: Very cool, thanks so much! Didn't realize you were active on CantoDict! Thanks very much for your contributions here and there! You're amazing. :)  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-09-16. Score: 2

In Mainland China, 质 is always zhi4, the 4th tone.

In the words listed in cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/1028/?full=true , you can see same [TW] marks (like the following) :

> 神經質 san4 ging1 zat1 shen2 jing1 [TW] zhi2 [PRC] zhi4

That may be where the zhi2 sound comes from (although some of the words do not have the mark). But I do not have a dictionary from Taiwan to check how it is regulated there.

As for Google translate, it is not a great source for this kind research, and I want to report a bug if I can.

Edit:

Found an [online dictionary in Taiwan](http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?ccd=ez90.5&o=e0&sec=sec1&index=1), and 质 has two pronunciations there:

> [zhi2](http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?ccd=_8iQ.3&o=e0&sec=sec1&op=v&view=0-1) :  
> [名]  
> 1 事物的根本、特性。如：「特質」、「流質」。《論語．衛靈公》：「君子義以為質，禮以行之。」《史記．卷二四．樂書》：「中正無邪，禮之質也。」  
> 2 人的天性稟賦。如：「資質」。  
> 3 樸實的本性。如：「文質彬彬」。《論語．雍也》：「質勝文則野，文勝質則史。」《韓非子．解老》：「夫君子取情而去貌，好質而惡飾。」  
> 4 形軀、形體。三國魏．曹植〈愍志賦〉：「豈良時之難俟，痛余質之日虧。」  
> 5 箭靶、標的。《荀子．勸學》：「是故質的張而弓矢至焉。」《後漢書．卷六十上．馬融》：「流矢雨墜，各指所質。」  
> 6 古代的一種刑具。《史記．卷九六．張丞相傳》：「蒼坐法當斬，解衣伏質。」  
> [動]  
> 詰問。《禮記．中庸》：「質諸鬼神而無疑。」
>
> [zhi4](http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?ccd=_8iQ.3&o=e0&sec=sec1&op=v&view=0-2):  
> [動]  
> 用財物或人作保證以為抵押。如：「質押」。《戰國策．趙策四》：「於是為長安君約車百乘，質於齊，齊兵乃出。」  
> [名]  
> 拜見長輩時奉上的見面禮。通「贄」。《孟子．滕文公下》：「出疆必載質。」漢．趙岐．注：「質，臣所執以見君者也。」《史記．卷八四．屈原賈生傳》：「乃令張儀詳去秦，厚幣委質事楚。」

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: +1, as you point out it could be regional. 2nd tone may be inherited from classical Chinese I guess. In modern mandarin, we always stay the 4th tone. But sometime, we might apply 2nd tone in the word 质量 I think. It's considered to be wrong.  
> **username_0**: Thanks, it could definitely be Taiwanese but even Google varies here and there. Perhaps Google is not reliable as you said. Would you kindly mind translating the meaning of the Taiwanese dictionary? Thanks again!  
> **username_1**: @Crashalot the translation might be too hard for me ... basicly it is only zhi4 when it means gift or pledge.  
> **username_0**: @fefe so what you are saying is 質 is pronounced zhi2 in Taiwan (with few exceptions) and zhi4 in Mainland China? Thanks again!  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2017-09-15. Score: 2

You should always pronounce the 4th tone in the standard mandarin.

Sometimes, I heard people wrongly pronounced the 2nd tone in the words of 质量，质地, which is probably acceptable to a native ear. But again that's wrong pronunciation.

But if you pronounce the 2nd tone for 质疑，品质, it's really bad (at least to me).

An interesting observation, in a online dictionary, I search for [质地](http://www.zdic.net/c/8/152/337931.htm)， and it's marked the 4th tone for simplified and 2th tone for traditional one. So, I doubt this could be regional thing as fefe suggested in his/her answer.


---

