响声

• Pinyin: xiǎng shēng
• Hanzi breakdown: 响 = 口 (mouth) + 向 (toward), meaning to sound or echo; 声 = 士 + 殳 (strike) + 耳 (ear), representing sound reaching the ear

Meaning

Sound; noise. An audible sound, especially one that is sudden or noticeable.

Refers to any sound that catches attention, often unexpected or unidentified. More specific than 声音 (sound/voice), typically implying a sudden noise. Can be neutral or slightly negative depending on context. Often used when investigating or describing unknown sounds.

Examples

1. 半夜突然传来一阵奇怪的响声，把我吓了一跳。 A strange sound suddenly came in the middle of the night, which startled me.
2. 外面有什么响声？你去看看是怎么回事。 What's that sound outside? Go see what's going on.
3. 这台机器运转时不应该有这么大的响声。 This machine shouldn't make such a loud noise when running.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, descriptive, investigation

Tone: curious

Do Say

• 你听到那个响声了吗？(Did you hear that sound?)
• 门外有响声。(There's a sound outside the door.)

Don't Say

• 她唱歌的响声很好听 — 说歌声或嗓音，响声用于非人声的声音

Origin & History

Compound of 响 (to sound, loud) + 声 (sound, voice). Both characters relate to sound, with 响 emphasizing loudness and 声 being a general term.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal