音译 (yīn yì) — transliteration; phonetic transcription of a word (especially a foreign word) into Chinese characters based on sound

Definition

A linguistic term for writing a foreign word using Chinese characters that approximate its sound (e.g. 'coffee' → 咖啡). Contrast with 意译, which translates by meaning instead of sound.

noun
transliterationphonetic transcription of a word (especially a foreign word) into Chinese characters based on sound

Examples

  • 音译。
    Zhè zhǒng yǐn liào de míng zì shì yīng yǔ de yīn yì.
    The name of this beverage is a transliteration from English.
  • 音译。
    Xǔ duō wài lái cí tōng guò yīn yì jìn rù le hàn yǔ.
    Many loanwords have entered Chinese through transliteration.
  • 音译？
    Zhè ge dì míng de yīn yì shì bu shì gēn jù fā yīn lái de?
    Is the transliteration of this place name based on 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.

音yīnsound
译yìtranslate

音 (sound) shows how 译 (translate) is done.

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 譯; 译 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánsay
Sound part声符shēngfú
睪
睪yì譯yì
Same sound today

The traditional form 譯 uses 言 (say) with 睪 for its sound; the simplified 译 is a later shorthand.

Open 译 →

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