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吭声 (kēng shēng) — to utter a sound, to speak (often used in negative constructions)

Definition

吭声 (kēng shēng) is a separable verb meaning 'to utter a sound, to speak'. It is almost always used in negative constructions like 不吭声 ('stay silent') or 一声不吭 ('not say a word').

verb
to utter a soundto speak (often used in negative constructions)

Examples

  • 。
    Tā zuò zài nà lǐ yì shēng bù kēng shēng.
    He sat there without uttering a single sound.
  • ，吭声。
    Wǒ wèn le tā hǎo jǐ biàn, tā dōu méi kēng shēng.
    I asked him several times, but he didn't say a word.
  • 吭声，。
    Tā zǒng suàn kēng shēng le yī shēng, biǎo shì tóng yì le.
    He finally let out a sound, indicating agreement.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

吭kēngutter
声shēngsound

吭 (utter) and 声 (sound) together mean making a sound, i.e. speaking up.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
亢
亢kàng吭háng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

吭 is built from 口, labeled as mouth, and 亢, which gives the sound.

Open 吭 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 聲; 声 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
耳耳ěrear
Sound part声符shēngfú
殸
殸qìng聲shēng
Same sound today

The traditional form 聲 pairs 耳 (ear) with 殸 as a sound part; the simplified 声 is a shorthand and does not show those original parts.

Open 声 →
Appears in
Communication & Speech

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