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奏响 (zòu xiǎng) — to play (a musical instrument) loudly; to sound; (figurative) to herald; to signal the start of (an era, event, etc.)

Definition

Literary verb meaning 'to strike up' or 'sound out' (a tune, bell, or fanfare), often used figuratively to mean 'to herald / signal the start of' a new era. Typical of written/ceremonial prose, not everyday speech.

verb
to play (a musical instrument) loudlyto sound(figurative) to heraldto signal the start of (an era, event, etc.)

Examples

  • 奏响。
    Yuè duì zài kāi mù shì shàng zòu xiǎng le guó gē.
    The band played the national anthem loudly at the opening ceremony.
  • 奏响，。
    Xīn nián zhōng shēng zòu xiǎng, rén men hù xiāng zhù hè.
    The New Year bell chimed, and people congratulated each other.
  • 奏响。
    Zhè cì dà huì zòu xiǎng le xīn shí dài de xù qǔ.
    This conference sounded the prelude to a new era.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

奏zòuplay
响xiǎngsound

奏 means to play music, and 响 means to sound, giving the result of playing so that it sounds.

Characters in this word

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

The shape of 奏 pictures hands holding an object, perhaps an instrument used in a ritual, or hands collecting resin dripping from a cut tree.

Open 奏 →

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 →
Appears in
Music

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