tone mark; musical clef
Meanings
2 senses · 6 examplesnoun
tone mark; tone indicator
formalSpecifically refers to the diacritical marks used to indicate the four lexical tones in Standard Chinese. In Hanyu Pinyin, these are: ˉ (first tone), ˊ (second tone), ˇ (third tone), ˋ (fourth tone).
The tone marks on pinyin help learners pronounce correctly.
Marking the wrong tone mark could change the meaning of the word.
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This software can automatically add pinyin and tone marks to Chinese characters.
noun
musical clef; key signature
technicalIn music theory, this refers to symbols like the treble clef (高音谱号), bass clef (低音谱号), or the sharps/flats at the start of a staff that indicate the key. The Chinese term can broadly refer to these concepts.
The key signature at the beginning of the sheet music indicates the tonality of this piece.
Recognizing various musical clefs is fundamental to learning staff notation.
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The composer changed the key signature here to create a different mood.