半音 (bàn yīn) — semitone (the smallest interval between two musical notes in Western music)

Definition

noun
semitone (the smallest interval between two musical notes in Western music)

Examples

  • ，半音。
    Zài yīn yuè zhōng, bàn yīn shì zuì xiǎo de yīn chéng.
    In music, a semitone is the smallest interval.
  • 半音。
    Gāng qín shàng xiāng lín de liǎng gè qín jiàn xiāng chā yí gè bàn yīn.
    Two adjacent keys on the piano differ by a semitone.
  • CD半音。
    Shēng C hé D zhī jiān shì bàn yīn de guān xì.
    Between C# and D there is a semitone relationship.

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.

半bànhalf
音yīntone

半 means half and 音 means tone, giving a half-tone interval.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape pairs 八 (to divide) with 牛 (cow), showing a cow cut into two halves.

Open 半 →

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 →

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