忙音 (máng yīn) — busy signal (on the phone); busy tone

Definition

noun

busy signal (on the phone)busy tone

Measure word · 个

，忙音。
Wǒ dǎ diàn huà de shí hou, tīng dào le máng yīn.
I heard a busy signal when I called.
忙音，。
Diàn huà nà tóu chuán lái máng yīn, shuō míng tā zài máng.
A busy tone came from the other end of the line, meaning she was busy.
，忙音，。
Děng le yí huì r, máng yīn hái shì xiǎng gè bù tíng, wǒ jiù guà le.
After waiting a while, the busy signal kept ringing, so I hung up.

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.

忙 describes the line as busy, and 音 names the tone heard.

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.

忄亡忙

Meaning part形符xíngfú

忄Written in full as心xīn

Sound part声符shēngfú

亡

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

忙 pairs 忄 (heart) with 亡, which gives the sound.

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.