<p>It's not standard Jyutping, but CantoDict uses the asterisk to indicate a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changed_tone" rel="nofollow noreferrer">changed tone</a>. In your example, <code>waa6*2</code>, the standard citation tone for 话 is 6, but when pronounced in the word, 广东话, its tone changes to a rising tone, so it is denoted with a <code>*2</code>. A note at the footer of <a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/1620/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">the definition page</a> indicates this convention:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Also, CantoDict uses a unique "asterisk (*)" convention, to show readings such as <code>jyu4*2</code>. For more information please see <a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/essays/tones.htm#cantodict_tones" rel="nofollow noreferrer">CantoDict Tone Conventions</a>.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Addendum: Since you mentioned sandhi, I just wanted to note that Cantonese changed tones is different from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tone_sandhi" rel="nofollow noreferrer">tone sandhi</a>. This previous answer explains in further detail: <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/a/9599/166">https://chinese.stackexchange.com/a/9599/166</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-01T18:53:33.920Z
So the word "word" is `waa6` but the tone changes to 2 in compound words like the one in the question. Got it. For the record, Wiktionary also uses the star convention.
MickG
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-01T17:37:46.387Z
2015-08-01T18:17:32.500Z
2017-04-13T12:48:06.457Z
Claw
<p>That's called 连续变调.
In Chinese dialects such as Wu(spoken in Zhejiang Province and Jiangsu Province and Shanghai City), Min(spoken in Fujian province and Taiwan) or Cantonese(one member of the Yue Dialects), there exists the alterations of characters' tones when they are used in words. That's called 连续变调.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-14T16:58:45.730Z
English: [Tone Sandhi](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tone_sandhi). But unless I'm much mistaken, Cantonese has no Sandhi. It has [Changed tone](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changed_tone), however...
MickG
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-14T17:01:01.797Z
Indeed, [no Sandhi in Cantonese](http://chinese.stackexchange.com/a/9599/6273).
MickG
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-14T17:03:41.377Z
And Changed Tone is 变音. Liánxù biàndiào has nothing to do with this question.
MickG
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-14T16:53:33.177Z
2015-10-14T16:53:33.177Z
nee.wong
<p>I have come across a couple of Cantonese words transliterated in Jyutping which had * in the tone number. For example, on <a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/scripts/wordsearch.php?level=0" rel="nofollow">CantoDict</a>, the word <code>广东话</code> is transliterated as <code>gwong2-dung1-waa6*2</code>. What does that asterisk mean? Is it some form of sandhi?</p>

<cantonese><tones><transliteration>
Asterisks in Jyutping Cantonese
# Asterisks in Jyutping Cantonese

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-08-01)

I have come across a couple of Cantonese words transliterated in Jyutping which had \* in the tone number. For example, on [CantoDict](http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/scripts/wordsearch.php?level=0), the word `广东话` is transliterated as `gwong2-dung1-waa6*2`. What does that asterisk mean? Is it some form of sandhi?

**Tags:** cantonese, tones, transliteration


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-08-01. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

It's not standard Jyutping, but CantoDict uses the asterisk to indicate a [changed tone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changed_tone). In your example, `waa6*2`, the standard citation tone for 话 is 6, but when pronounced in the word, 广东话, its tone changes to a rising tone, so it is denoted with a `*2`. A note at the footer of [the definition page](http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/1620/) indicates this convention:

> Also, CantoDict uses a unique "asterisk (\*)" convention, to show readings such as `jyu4*2`. For more information please see [CantoDict Tone Conventions](http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/essays/tones.htm#cantodict_tones).

Addendum: Since you mentioned sandhi, I just wanted to note that Cantonese changed tones is different from [tone sandhi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tone_sandhi). This previous answer explains in further detail: <https://chinese.stackexchange.com/a/9599/166>

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: So the word "word" is `waa6` but the tone changes to 2 in compound words like the one in the question. Got it. For the record, Wiktionary also uses the star convention.  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2015-10-14. Score: 0

That's called 连续变调.
In Chinese dialects such as Wu(spoken in Zhejiang Province and Jiangsu Province and Shanghai City), Min(spoken in Fujian province and Taiwan) or Cantonese(one member of the Yue Dialects), there exists the alterations of characters' tones when they are used in words. That's called 连续变调.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: English: [Tone Sandhi](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tone_sandhi). But unless I'm much mistaken, Cantonese has no Sandhi. It has [Changed tone](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changed_tone), however...  
> **username_0**: Indeed, [no Sandhi in Cantonese](http://chinese.stackexchange.com/a/9599/6273).  
> **username_0**: And Changed Tone is 变音. Liánxù biàndiào has nothing to do with this question.  

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