声音

• Pinyin: shēng yīn
• Hanzi breakdown: 声 = simplified from 聲, originally depicting a chime stone struck to produce sound; 音 = 立 (stand) + 日 (mouth), sound emerging

Meaning

Sound; voice. Any audible noise, or a person's speaking or singing voice.

A general term for any sound, whether a human voice, music, noise, or environmental sound. Used to describe volume, quality, and character of sounds. Common collocations include 声音大/小 (loud/quiet) and 声音好听 (pleasant-sounding voice).

Examples

1. 外面的声音太大了。 The noise outside is too loud.
2. 她的声音很好听。 Her voice sounds very nice.
3. 你听到那个奇怪的声音了吗？ Did you hear that strange sound?

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, music, environment

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 请把声音关小一点。(Please turn the volume down a bit.)
• 这个声音是从哪里来的？(Where is this sound coming from?)

Don't Say

• 不要把声音和噪音等同 (Don't equate 声音 with 噪音 — 声音 is a neutral term for any sound or voice, while 噪音 specifically means unwanted noise)

Origin & History

声 (shēng, sound) + 音 (yīn, tone/sound). Both characters relate to sound; together they form a comprehensive term covering all audible phenomena.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal