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音讯 (yīn xùn) — (formal) news, tidings, message

Definition

A formal/literary word for 'news, tidings' about a person, usually after a long absence. Almost always appears in the set phrase 杳无音讯 ('no news at all').

noun
(formal) newstidingsmessage

Examples

  • 。
    Tā chū guó hòu yì zhí yǎo wú yīn xùn.
    After he went abroad, there has been no news from him.
  • 音讯。
    Wǒ men dōu zài děng dài tā de yīn xùn.
    We are all waiting for news from her.
  • 音讯，。
    yīn xùn Quán wú, ràng rén fēi cháng dān xīn.
    With no news at all, it makes people very worried.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

音yīninformation
讯xùnmessage

讯 points to a message, and 音 points to information; together they mean news.

Characters in this word

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.

Open 音 →

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 訊; 讯 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
卂
卂xùn訊xùn
Same sound today

The traditional form 訊 combines 言 (words) with 卂 as a sound part; the simplified 讯 is a shorthand.

Open 讯 →
Appears in
Mail & Messaging

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