呼声

• Pinyin: hū shēng
• Hanzi breakdown: 呼 = 口 (mouth) + 乎 (phonetic) — to call out; 声 = 耳 (ear) + 殳 (action) — sound; voice

Meaning

Calls; voices; appeals; clamour. The collective voice or demand of a group of people, or the figurative sound of public opinion.

While literally meaning the sound of calling out, 呼声 most commonly refers to the collective demands or aspirations of the public, workers, citizens, or other groups. 民间呼声 (public voices/demands) and 改革呼声 (calls for reform) are frequent collocations.

Examples

1. 要求提高最低工资标准的呼声在工人群体中越来越高，已引起立法机构的高度关注。 Calls to raise the minimum wage have been growing louder and louder among workers and have drawn close attention from lawmakers.
2. 面对社会各界强烈的改革呼声，政府宣布将在本届任期内推出一系列配套政策措施。 In the face of strong calls for reform from all sectors of society, the government announced it would roll out a series of supporting policy measures during this term.
3. 这部纪录片真实记录了边远山区居民改善教育条件的迫切呼声，令许多观众深受触动。 This documentary faithfully captures the urgent calls of residents in remote mountain areas to improve educational conditions, deeply moving many viewers.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, social issues, public opinion, journalism

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 随着网络舆论的持续发酵，要求彻查食品安全事故责任的呼声日益强烈，相关监管部门已启动专项调查程序。(As online public opinion continued to intensify, calls for a thorough investigation into responsibility for the food safety incident grew ever louder, and the relevant regulatory authorities have launched a special investigation.)
• 民众对于公共交通网络扩建的呼声由来已久，市政府此番宣布的轨道交通新线规划终于回应了这一长期诉求。(Public calls for an expansion of the public transport network have been long-standing; the municipal government's newly announced rail transit line planning finally responds to this long-held demand.)

Don't Say

• 呼声 for a single individual's request — it implies collective or widespread demands; use 要求 or 申请 for an individual's request

Origin & History

呼 (call out) + 声 (sound; voice) — the sound of calling; by extension, collective voices or demands

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal