背诵 (bèi sòng) — to recite (from memory) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

背诵 is to recite from memory after having studied the text, often as a study or performance task. 朗诵 is reading aloud with expression, not necessarily from memory; 念 is simply reading aloud.

verb

to recite (from memory)

Examples

背诵。
Xué shēng měi tiān dōu yào bèi sòng kè wén.
Students need to recite the text every day.
背诵。
Tā huā le zhěng zhěng yì tiān cái bǎ wén zhāng bèi sòng xià lái.
He spent a whole day reciting the article from memory.
背诵。
Nǐ kě yǐ zài bǐ sài zhōng bèi sòng yí duàn jīng diǎn tái cí.
You can recite a classic line during the competition.

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.

背bèifrom memory

背 gives from memory, 诵 gives reciting.

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.

北月背

Meaning part形符xíngfú

月Written in full as肉ròumeat

Sound part声符shēngfú

北

北běi背bèi

Same sound today

背 was first written as 北; 北 gives the sound, and 肉 (meat, written as 月 here) was added to separate it from 北’s north meaning.

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 誦; 诵 is its simplified writing.

言甬誦

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

甬

甬yǒng誦sòng

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

The traditional form 誦 pairs 言 (words) with 甬 to give the sound; the simplified 诵 is a later shorthand.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Reading & Writing

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