收音 (shōu yīn) — to receive (radio signals); to tune in

Definition

Verb meaning to receive or tune in to a radio signal. Usually appears with 收音机 ('radio') or after 听/看; rare as a standalone noun.

verb

to receive (radio signals)to tune in

，？
Zhè tái shōu yīn jī jīng cháng shōu bú dào yīn, yào bú yào xiū yí xià?
This radio often can't receive signals — should we get it fixed?
，。
Tā shōu le yí cì yīn, dàn shén me dōu méi tīng dào.
He tuned in once but didn't hear anything.
，。
Nǐ shōu yí xià yīn, kàn kàn yǒu méi yǒu tiān qì yù bào.
Tune in and see if there's a weather forecast.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

“收” means receive and “音” means sound, together describing receiving sound signals.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

攴攴pū

Sound part声符shēngfú

丩

丩jiū收shōu

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

收 uses 攴 to show an action and 丩 as a sound clue; the old meaning was 'to arrest.'

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

音 adds a short stroke that seals the mouth-like part, showing a covered or muffled sound rather than speech.

Appears in