吟 (yín) — to chant, to recite (poetry); to hum, to sing softly; (noun) a poem, a chant, a song (especially in literary contexts)
Definition
A literary verb meaning 'to chant or recite poetry softly', or used as a noun for a poem or song in classical/literary style. Far more formal and poetic than everyday 唱 or 念.
verb
to chantto recite (poetry)to humto sing softly
noun
a poema chanta song (especially in literary contexts)
Examples
- 。Tā xǐ huan zài yuè guāng xià yín shī.He likes to recite poems under the moonlight.
- 。Tā xǐ huan zài huā yuán lǐ dī shēng yín chàng.She likes to hum softly in the garden.
- 。Zhè shǒu yín yǒng biǎo xiàn le shī rén de gū dú.This chant expresses the poet's loneliness.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
The left part 口 shows it relates to the mouth, and the right part 今 gives a clue to its sound.
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