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响铃 (xiǎng líng) — ringtone (of a phone, alarm, etc.); sound of a bell ringing; bell sound

Definition

Means the sound a bell or alarm makes — typically heard from a distance. The common modern usage is 'ringtone' on a phone (手机响铃), which the learner will see most often.

noun
ringtone (of a phone, alarm, etc.)sound of a bell ringingbell sound
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 响铃。
    Shǒu jī xiǎng líng xiǎng le.
    The phone ringtone rang.
  • 响铃。
    Wǒ bǎ xiǎng líng guān diào le.
    I turned off the ringtone.
  • 响铃。
    Wǒ tīng dào le yuǎn chù de xiǎng líng shēng.
    I heard the sound of a bell in the distance.

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.

响xiǎngringing
铃língbell

响 'ringing' describes 铃 'bell', referring to a bell sound or ringtone.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 響; 响 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
音音yīnsound
Sound part声符shēngfú
鄉
鄉xiāng響xiǎng
Same sound today

The traditional form 響 pairs 音, meaning sound, with 鄉 to give its pronunciation. The simplified 响 is a later shorthand, so its visible parts are not the historical parts.

Open 响 →

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 鈴; 铃 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng鈴líng
Same sound today

The traditional form 鈴 pairs 金 (metal) with 令 as a sound part; the simplified 铃 is a later abbreviation, so its parts are not the historical components.

Open 铃 →
Appears in
Phones & Telecom

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