诵 (sòng) — to recite, to chant, to read aloud (bound form, used in compounds)
Definition
A literary/bound verb meaning 'to recite or read aloud' — used almost only inside compounds like 朗诵, 背诵, 诵读. In everyday speech, use 读 or 念 instead.
bound form
to reciteto chantto read aloud (bound form, used in compounds)
Examples
- 。Tā xǐ huan lǎng sòng gǔ shī.He likes to recite ancient poems aloud.
- 。Xué shēng měi tiān dōu yào bèi sòng kè wén.Students have to recite the text from memory every day.
- 。Lǎo shī ràng wǒ men dà shēng sòng dú zhè piān wén zhāng.The teacher asked us to read this article aloud.
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 誦; 诵 is its simplified writing.
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.
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