声色 (shēng sè) — (literary) tone of voice and facial expression; demeanor; (literary) sensual pleasures, especially music and women; debauchery

Definition

Literary word for one's voice and facial expression (e.g. 不动声色 = remain composed), and also for sensual pleasures like music and women in classical texts.

noun
(literary) tone of voice and facial expressiondemeanor(literary) sensual pleasuresespecially music and womendebauchery

Examples

  • ，。
    Tā tīng dào zhè ge xiāo xi hòu bú dòng shēng sè, jì xù gōng zuò.
    After hearing the news, he remained composed and continued working.
  • 声色，。
    Gǔ dài guì zú chén mí yú shēng sè quǎn mǎ, zuì zhōng dǎo zhì shuāi bài.
    Ancient nobles indulged in sensual pleasures, ultimately leading to decline.
  • 声色。
    Tā shēng sè jù lì dì pī píng le nà ge bú fù zé rèn de yuán gōng.
    He criticized that irresponsible employee with a harsh tone and stern expression.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

声shēngsound/voice
色sèappearance

"声" and "色" combine sound with appearance, covering voice, expression, or sensual pleasures.

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 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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 爪爪zhuǎclaw; hand
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

色 pairs 爪 (a hand) with 卩 (a kneeling person), showing a hand pressing down on the kneeling person.

Open 色 →

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