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高音 (gāo yīn) — high pitch, high notes (in music); soprano (the highest female voice); tenor (the highest male voice)

Definition

Refers to high-pitched sounds: in music it means the high notes (旋律) or the soprano/tenor range; on audio equipment it's the 'treble' setting (opposite of 低音).

noun
high pitchhigh notes (in music)soprano (the highest female voice)tenor (the highest male voice)

Examples

  • 高音。
    Tā chàng de gāo yīn fēi cháng yōu měi.
    The high notes she sang were very beautiful.
  • 高音？
    Zhè ge yīn xiǎng de gāo yīn tiáo jié àn niǔ zài nǎ lǐ?
    Where is the treble adjustment button on this speaker?
  • 高音。
    Tā zài hé chàng tuán zhōng chàng gāo yīn.
    He sings the high part in the choir.

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.

高gāohigh
音yīnsound

高 means high and 音 means sound, giving the sense of a high sound or note.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

高 was drawn as a tall building.

Open 高 →

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 →
Appears in
Music

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