<p>The Pinyin for 蒙古 is written like this in <em>ABC</em>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Mẹ̌nggǔ</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Notice the dot under the letter E, this is an indicator that this word is read with tone sandhi. The tone sandhi rules dictate that meng3 gu3 be read:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>meng2 gu3 (méng gǔ)</p>
</blockquote>
<hr />
<p>Another factor that may add to your confusion is the fact that the standard pronunciation in Taiwanese Mandarin is different. For instance, if you check <em>MoE</em>'s entry for <a href="https://www.moedict.tw/%E8%92%99%E5%8F%A4%E6%97%8F" rel="nofollow noreferrer">蒙古族</a> the pinyin for 蒙 is clearly written as:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>méng</p>
</blockquote>
<p>蒙 is never read měng in TW.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-24T12:36:24.630Z
The rule is not so simple as 姐姐,狗狗 doesn't follow the 33->23 rule.
joehua
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-24T15:25:36.610Z
Technically speaking, 半上声 is different from 阳平, even though most native speaker won't tell the difference. I guess the rule is applicable to any non-叠词.
River
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-24T15:32:59.367Z
I don't see what 姐姐 and 狗狗 have to do with the question, those behave more like neutral tones. Indeed, 姐姐 is listed as such in 现代汉语词典. They certainly don't behave like regular 3+3 and can be treated as exceptions. 蒙古 is not among the exceptions and behaves normally.
Olle Linge
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-25T03:42:06.180Z
Come to think about it, I don't know one single example in which 蒙 is pronounced as meng3. I have always pronounced it as meng2. I can't think of an exception.
joehua
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-25T08:53:30.333Z
@joehua How about: 蒙族?
Mou某
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-25T12:01:54.103Z
@Mo That must be mainland China's pronunciation. I cannot find 蒙 pronounced as meng3 in 國語詞典.
joehua
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-26T00:31:24.617Z
@Mo. We say: Měng族. We turn Měng into Méng just because there's a ǔ in 古 too.
T-Pioneer
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-26T07:20:28.920Z
@T-Pioneer Yes. I was responding to joehua.
Mou某
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-24T11:14:32.453Z
2020-09-26T08:39:12.193Z
2020-09-26T08:39:12.193Z
Mou某
<p>如果“蒙”代表蒙古的时候就读 meng3.例如蒙牛，蒙古，蒙。作家王蒙的蒙也是 meng3.</p>
<p>If &quot;蒙&quot; represents Mongolia (n), then it is read as meng3</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-25T16:55:30.693Z
2020-09-25T17:40:14.780Z
2020-09-25T17:40:14.780Z
RayZhang -
<p>The word '蒙古' seems to be read as 'měng gu'. But when I listen to others, it seems to be pronounced 'méng gu'. Which is the correct one? And I found it hard to tell the difference between 'měng gu' and 'méng gu'. Is it because the word itself or some pronunciation mistake?</p>

<pronunciation><sandhi>
How to pronounce '蒙古' correctly?
# How to pronounce '蒙古' correctly?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-09-24)

The word '蒙古' seems to be read as 'měng gu'. But when I listen to others, it seems to be pronounced 'méng gu'. Which is the correct one? And I found it hard to tell the difference between 'měng gu' and 'méng gu'. Is it because the word itself or some pronunciation mistake?

**Tags:** pronunciation, sandhi


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-09-24. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

The Pinyin for 蒙古 is written like this in *ABC*:

> Mẹ̌nggǔ

Notice the dot under the letter E, this is an indicator that this word is read with tone sandhi. The tone sandhi rules dictate that meng3 gu3 be read:

> meng2 gu3 (méng gǔ)

---

Another factor that may add to your confusion is the fact that the standard pronunciation in Taiwanese Mandarin is different. For instance, if you check *MoE*'s entry for [蒙古族](https://www.moedict.tw/%E8%92%99%E5%8F%A4%E6%97%8F) the pinyin for 蒙 is clearly written as:

> méng

蒙 is never read měng in TW.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: The rule is not so simple as 姐姐,狗狗 doesn't follow the 33->23 rule.  
> **username_3**: Technically speaking, 半上声 is different from 阳平, even though most native speaker won't tell the difference. I guess the rule is applicable to any non-叠词.  
> **username_4**: I don't see what 姐姐 and 狗狗 have to do with the question, those behave more like neutral tones. Indeed, 姐姐 is listed as such in 现代汉语词典. They certainly don't behave like regular 3+3 and can be treated as exceptions. 蒙古 is not among the exceptions and behaves normally.  
> **username_2**: Come to think about it, I don't know one single example in which 蒙 is pronounced as meng3. I have always pronounced it as meng2. I can't think of an exception.  
> **username_1**: @username_2 How about: 蒙族?  
> **username_2**: @Mo That must be mainland China's pronunciation. I cannot find 蒙 pronounced as meng3 in 國語詞典.  
> **username_5**: @Mo. We say: Měng族. We turn Měng into Méng just because there's a ǔ in 古 too.  
> **username_1**: @username_5 Yes. I was responding to username_2.  

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### Answer by username_6 on 2020-09-25. Score: 0

如果“蒙”代表蒙古的时候就读 meng3.例如蒙牛，蒙古，蒙。作家王蒙的蒙也是 meng3.

If "蒙" represents Mongolia (n), then it is read as meng3


---

