呼声 (hū shēng) — a shout, a cry; (figurative) public opinion, de… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

呼声 highlights the loud, collective 'voice' of a group — calls or demands from the public. Stronger than 舆论 (the opinion itself) and wider in reach than 民意 (popular will within one nation).

noun

a shouta cry(figurative) public opiniondemandor call (as expressed by a group)

Measure word · 个

Examples

呼声。
Yuǎn chù chuán lái le rén qún de hū shēng.
The shouts of the crowd came from a distance.
呼声。
Zhèng fǔ de jué dìng fǎn yìng le mín zhòng de hū shēng.
The government's decision reflected the public's demands.
呼声。
Shè huì gè jiè de hū shēng bù róng hū shì.
The calls from all sectors of society cannot be ignored.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

呼 means call and 声 means voice, giving the idea of a calling voice.

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.

口乎呼

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

乎

乎hū呼hū

Same sound today

呼 uses 口 (mouth) to show exhaling, calling, or shouting, and 乎 gives the sound.

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.

殸耳聲

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.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Society & Public Life

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