耸 (sǒng) — to tower, to rise high (of mountains, buildings, etc.); to shrug (shoulders); to be sensational, to alarm (in 耸人听闻)
Definition
耸 is the action-verb root in compounds meaning 'to tower/loom' (耸立) or 'to shrug' (耸肩). Compare 矗立 and 耸立: 矗立 emphasizes static, upright stillness; 耸立 highlights towering height. In 耸人听闻 it means 'sensational.'
verb
to towerto rise high (of mountains, buildings, etc.)to shrug (shoulders)to be sensationalto alarm (in 耸人听闻)
Examples
- 。Yuǎn chù sǒng lì zhe yí zuò gāo shān.A high mountain towers in the distance.
- 耸，。Tā sǒng le sǒng jiān, biǎo shì bù zhī dào.He shrugged his shoulders to show he didn't know.
- 。Zhè tiáo xīn wén shí zài sǒng rén tīng wén.This piece of news is truly sensational.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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 聳; 耸 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
從
從cóng聳sǒng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 聳 pairs 耳 (ear) with 從 (cóng) to give the sound; the simplified 耸 is a later shorthand.
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