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颂词 (sòng cí) — (formal) words of praise or tribute delivered at a ceremony; eulogy; ode

Definition

A formal speech or written piece praising someone or something, often read at a ceremony. Used for both living honorees (award speeches) and the deceased (eulogies), as well as ceremonial odes.

noun
(formal) words of praise or tribute delivered at a ceremonyeulogyode

Examples

  • ，颂词。
    Zài bān jiǎng diǎn lǐ shàng, tā xuān dú le yì piān rè qíng yáng yì de sòng cí.
    At the award ceremony, he read a passionate eulogy.
  • ，颂词，。
    Zhuī dào huì shàng, péng you zhì le jiǎn duǎn de sòng cí, zhuī yì tā de shàn liáng.
    At the memorial service, a friend gave a brief eulogy, recalling her kindness.
  • 颂词，。
    Zhè piān gǔ fēng sòng cí xiě dé hěn yōu měi, chōng mǎn le duì yīng xióng de jìng yì.
    This ancient-style ode is beautifully written, full of respect for the hero.

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.

颂sòngpraise
词cíwords

“颂” (praise) and “词” (words) combine to mean words of praise.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 頌; 颂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
公
公gōng頌sòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 頌 pairs 公 for the sound with 頁, meaning head.

Open 颂 →

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 詞; 词 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech
Sound part声符shēngfú
司
司sī詞cí(r)
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 詞 uses 言, meaning speech, and 司 to show how it was pronounced; the simplified 词 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical sound part.

Open 词 →
Appears in
Communication & Speech

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