声道 (shēng dào) — audio channel (sound channel, as in stereo systems); vocal tract (anatomy, speech production)

Definition

A technical term with two senses: an audio channel in stereo/surround sound systems, and the vocal tract in speech anatomy (how sound is shaped in the throat and mouth).

noun
audio channel (sound channel, as in stereo systems)vocal tract (anatomy, speech production)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 声道，。
    Zhè ge yīn xiǎng yǒu shuāng shēng dào shū chū, yīn zhì hěn hǎo.
    This speaker has dual-channel output, and the sound quality is very good.
  • ，声道。
    Zài lù yīn péng lǐ, měi gè shēng dào dōu dān dú tiáo jié.
    In the recording studio, each channel is adjusted individually.
  • 声道。
    Rén lèi shēng dào de jié gòu yǐng xiǎng fā yīn de qīng xī dù.
    The structure of the human vocal tract affects the clarity of pronunciation.

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.

声shēngsound
道dàochannel

声道 joins 声 sound and 道 channel, naming a path for sound.

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 →

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
行行xíngstreet
止止zhǐfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
𩠐
首shǒu道dào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Early 道 showed a street 行, a foot 止, and a part written 首 or 𩠐; the right part of 行 later disappeared.

Open 道 →

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