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回音 (huí yīn) — echo (of sound); reply; response (to a letter, message, etc.)

Definition

Literally 'returning sound', 回音 covers both a physical echo and a reply to a message — use it for either sound bouncing back or a written response, not for a casual verbal answer.

noun
echo (of sound)replyresponse (to a letter, message, etc.)

Examples

  • 回音。
    Shān gǔ lǐ chuán lái yí zhèn huí yīn.
    An echo came from the valley.
  • ，回音。
    Wǒ hǎn le yī shēng, dàn méi yǒu rèn hé huí yīn.
    I shouted, but there was no reply.
  • 回音。
    Zhè shǒu gē de huí yīn chàng dé hěn yǒu gǎn qíng.
    The turn in this song is sung with a lot of feeling.

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.

回huíreturning
音yīnsound

回 returning and 音 sound together express an echo or reply.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

回 comes from a drawing of a spiral, showing something turning around.

Open 回 →

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 →
Appears in
Communication & Speech

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