吟咏 (yín yǒng) — to chant (poetry); to intone

Definition

A literary verb for reciting or chanting poems aloud, savoring the sound and mood. Strongly tied to classical poetry (唐诗, 词); far more formal and aesthetic than everyday 念 or 读.

verb
to chant (poetry)to intone

Examples

  • 吟咏。
    Tā xǐ huan zǎo shàng yín yǒng shī gē.
    He likes to chant poetry in the morning.
  • 吟咏。
    Zhè wèi lǎo xiān sheng cháng cháng zài gōng yuán lǐ yín yǒng zì jǐ xiě de cí.
    This old gentleman often chants his own ci poems in the park.
  • 吟咏。
    yín yǒng Táng shī kě yǐ tǐ huì gǔ rén de qíng gǎn.
    Chanting Tang poems allows you to experience the emotions of the ancients.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

吟yínchant
咏yǒngintone

The meanings of 吟 and 咏 both refer to chanting or intoning, so the combined sense is to chant verse.

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
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
今
今jīn吟yín
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left part 口 shows it relates to the mouth, and the right part 今 gives a clue to its sound.

Open 吟 →

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 詠; 咏 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
永
永yǒng詠yǒng
Same sound today

The traditional form 詠 behind 咏 is made of 言, relating to speech, and 永, suggesting its pronunciation.

Open 咏 →

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