声息 (shēng xī) — (literary) sound, noise (usually in negative constructions); (literary) news, information (usually in negative constructions)

Definition

Literary word almost always used in negatives like 没有声息 or 毫无声息, meaning 'sound/noise' or 'news/sign of life'. It's the formal, written counterpart of 声音 — 声音 is everyday, 声息 is bookish and usually paired with 没有/毫无.

noun
(literary) soundnoise (usually in negative constructions)(literary) newsinformation (usually in negative constructions)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 声息。
    Wū zi lǐ méi yǒu yì diǎn shēng xī.
    There is not a sound in the room.
  • ，声息。
    Tā xiāo shī zài yè sè zhōng, háo wú shēng xī.
    He disappeared into the night without a trace.
  • ，声息。
    Zì cóng nà jiàn shì hòu, tā jiù zài yě méi yǒu shēng xī le.
    Since that incident, there has been no more news from him.

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.

声shēngsound
息xībreath/news

声 is sound and 息 is breath or news, so the pair points to any trace of sound or information.

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 聲; 声 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
耳耳ěrear
Sound part声符shēngfú
殸
殸qìng聲shēng
Same sound today

The traditional form 聲 pairs 耳 (ear) with 殸 as a sound part; the simplified 声 is a shorthand and does not show those original parts.

Open 声 →

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

In 息, 自 is nose and 心 is heart, showing breath or life passing through one's nose.

Open 息 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.