Chinese Couplet Checker
Check a Chinese couplet pair for equal length, tonal opposition, the upper-oblique / lower-level ending rule and repeated characters
How the check works
Tones follow modern Mandarin: the first and second tones count as level (ping), the third and fourth as oblique (ze). A small list of common entering-tone (rusheng) characters is forced to oblique, because they sound level in modern Mandarin but were oblique in classical prosody. The tool checks equal length, the upper-oblique / lower-level ending, opposition at positions 2, 4 and 6 (“one, three and five are flexible; two, four and six are strict”), and repeated characters. It cannot judge whether the two lines match in word class or meaning — that still needs a human reader.
Frequently asked questions
What does “upper oblique, lower level” mean?
In a standard couplet the last character of the upper line uses an oblique (ze) tone and the last character of the lower line uses a level (ping) tone. This is why the two lines sound complete when read as a pair.
Why does the tool sometimes mark a level-sounding character as oblique?
Entering-tone characters such as 一, 白, 国 or 学 are pronounced with a level tone in modern Mandarin, but belonged to the oblique class in classical prosody. The tool follows the classical class for these common characters.
Can I use this for a strict Ping Shui Yun check?
No. Ping Shui Yun has 106 rhyme groups and many characters changed pronunciation over the centuries. This tool is a practical modern-Mandarin check with a small entering-tone correction, not a replacement for a rhyme dictionary.