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音响 (yīn xiǎng) — sound; acoustics; audio system; stereo system

Definition

音响 means the physical audio system / speaker setup you buy and listen to — distinct from 语音 (the audio signal or voice itself). 音响效果 refers to acoustic quality of a room or hall.

noun
soundacousticsaudio systemstereo system
Measure word · 台

Examples

  • 。
    Zhè ge jù yuàn de yīn xiǎng xiào guǒ fēi cháng hǎo.
    The acoustics of this theater are very good.
  • 音响。
    Wǒ mǎi le yí tào xīn yīn xiǎng.
    I bought a new stereo system.
  • 音响。
    Zhè tào yīn xiǎng de yīn zhì hěn hǎo.
    The sound quality of this stereo system is very good.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

音yīnsound
响xiǎngresonance

音 and 响 both point to sound, so together they name audible sound or an audio system.

Characters in this word

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.

Open 音 →

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 響; 响 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
音音yīnsound
Sound part声符shēngfú
鄉
鄉xiāng響xiǎng
Same sound today

The traditional form 響 pairs 音, meaning sound, with 鄉 to give its pronunciation. The simplified 响 is a later shorthand, so its visible parts are not the historical parts.

Open 响 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Music

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