低声 (dī shēng) — low voice, soft voice

Definition

noun
low voicesoft voice

Examples

  • 低声。
    Tā de dī shēng ràng wǒ jué de tè bié ān jìng.
    Her low voice made me feel especially quiet.
  • 低声，。
    Qǐng yòng dī shēng shuō huà, bié chǎo dào bié rén.
    Please use a low voice when speaking, don't disturb others.
  • 低声，。
    Tā shuō huà zǒng shì yòng dī shēng, xiǎn de hěn wēn róu.
    He always speaks in a low voice, appearing very gentle.

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.

低dīlow
声shēngvoice

低 means low and 声 means voice; together they describe a low or soft voice.

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
亻Written in full as人rénman, person
Sound part声符shēngfú
氐
氐dī低dī
Same sound today

In 低, the left side 亻 is a person, and the right side 氐 gives the sound; the image is a person lowering or bowing themselves.

Open 低 →

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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