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响应 (xiǎng yìng) — to respond to, answer

Definition

响应 is a formal verb meaning 'to respond to' a call, appeal, or initiative — like 回应, and more official/collective than the everyday 答 or 答复. Often used for groups acting on a policy, proposal, or appeal.

verb
to respond toanswer
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 响应。
    Wǒ men yīng dāng jī jí xiǎng yìng zhèng fǔ de hào zhào.
    We should actively respond to the government's call.
  • 响应。
    Dà jiā fēn fēn xiǎng yìng tā de tí yì.
    Everyone responded to his proposal one after another.
  • 响应。
    Tā men lì jí xiǎng yìng le kè hù de tóu sù.
    They immediately responded to the customer's complaint.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

响xiǎngecho
应yìnganswer

响 means echo and 应 means answer, so together they mean to answer or respond to a call.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 響; 响 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
音音yīnsound
Sound part声符shēngfú
鄉
鄉xiāng響xiǎng
Same sound today

The traditional form 響 pairs 音, meaning sound, with 鄉 to give its pronunciation. The simplified 响 is a later shorthand, so its visible parts are not the historical parts.

Open 响 →

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 應; 应 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
䧹
䧹䧹應yìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 應 pairs 心 (heart) with 䧹 as a sound part; the simplified 应 is a later shorthand and its parts are not the original components.

Open 应 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Communication & Speech

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