新闻

• Pinyin: xīn wén
• Hanzi breakdown: 新 = 亲 (close, phonetic) + 斤 (axe), originally 'to chop firewood' then 'new'; 闻 = 门 (gate) + 耳 (ear), meaning 'to hear through the gate'

Meaning

News; a news report. Information about recent events.

The standard word for news in all contexts — television, radio, newspapers, and online media. Common collocations include 看新闻 (to watch the news), 新闻报道 (news report), and 新闻联播 (the main CCTV evening news programme). Can refer to both a single news item and news in general.

Examples

1. 你今天看新闻了吗？ Did you watch the news today?
2. 这条新闻是真的吗？ Is this news report true?
3. 我每天早上都听新闻。 I listen to the news every morning.

Usage Guide

Context: media, daily life, information

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你看了今天的新闻吗？(Did you watch today's news?)
• 这个新闻说明天会下雨。(This news report says it will rain tomorrow.)

Don't Say

• 用新闻指旧消息 (Don't use 新闻 for old or outdated information — 新闻 implies something recent; use 消息 for general information regardless of age)

Origin & History

新 (xīn, new) + 闻 (wén, to hear). Literally 'newly heard' — things one has just heard about, i.e. news.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal