应声 (yìng shēng) — (adv.) immediately in response to a sound (used in literary or formal contexts)

Definition

Literary adverb meaning 'immediately, on cue' — as soon as a sound or signal is heard, the action follows. Mostly used in writing; everyday speech would just use 马上 or 立刻.

adverb
(adv.) immediately in response to a sound (used in literary or formal contexts)

Examples

  • ，应声。
    Suí zhe yī shēng qiāng xiǎng, tā yìng shēng dǎo zài dì shàng.
    With a gunshot, he fell to the ground immediately.
  • ，应声。
    Dí rén kàn dào xìn hào dàn, yìng shēng ér táo.
    The enemy fled as soon as they saw the flare.
  • ，应声。
    Tīng dào qiāo mén shēng, tā yìng shēng qù kāi le mén.
    Hearing a knock at the door, he went to open it right away.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

应yìngrespond
声shēngsound

应 means respond and 声 means sound, together giving at the sound or immediate response.

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 應; 应 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
䧹
䧹䧹應yìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 應 pairs 心 (heart) with 䧹 as a sound part; the simplified 应 is a later shorthand and its parts are not the original components.

Open 应 →

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 →

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