轰隆 (hōng lōng) — (onomatopoeia) rumble, roar (of thunder, explosions, machinery)

Definition

轰隆 is an onomatopoeia for a deep, rumbling sound (thunder, explosions, heavy machinery). It pairs with 声/声响, or reduplicates as 轰隆隆 to show prolonged noise.

onomatopoeia
rumbleroar (of thunder, explosions, machinery)

Examples

  • 轰隆，。
    hōng lōng Yī shēng, tiān kāi shǐ xià yǔ le.
    With a rumble, it started to rain.
  • 轰隆轰隆，。
    Yuǎn chù chuán lái hōng lōng hōng lōng de shēng yīn, xiàng shì dà kǎ chē kāi guò lái le.
    From afar came a rumbling sound, as if a big truck was coming.
  • ，轰隆，。
    Zhà dàn bào zhà de shí hou, hōng lōng yì shēng xiǎng, zhěng dòng lóu dōu zài zhèn dòng.
    When the bomb exploded, there was a loud boom, and the whole building shook.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 轟; 轰 is its simplified writing.

  • 車車jūcart
  • 車車jūcart
  • 車車jūcart

The traditional form 轟 puts three 車 (cart) together; 轰 is a simplified shorthand.

Open 轰 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
生生shēng
Sound part声符shēngfú
降
降jiàng隆lóng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape of 隆 is made from 生 and 降, with 降 giving the sound; an older part was later dropped.

Open 隆 →

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