警钟

• 拼音: jǐng zhōng
• 汉字拆解: 警 = 敬 + 言 — a warning utterance; 钟 = 钅(metal) + 童 (phonetic) — metal bell

含义

Alarm bell; warning bell; a signal of danger or alert.

Literally a bell used to sound an alarm; figuratively used to mean a wake-up call or a warning signal. The phrase 敲响警钟 (to sound the alarm bell) is extremely common in editorials, policy speeches, and social commentary to mean 'to issue a serious warning.' Almost always used metaphorically in modern Chinese.

例句

1. 这次食品安全事件再次为全社会敲响了警钟。
2. 青少年犯罪率上升的数据为家长和学校敲响了警钟。
3. 当年那场大火就像一口警钟，让全城人意识到了消防安全的重要性。

用法指南

语境: social commentary, editorial, policy

语气: serious

正确说法

• 这份报告为行业发展敲响了警钟。(This report has sounded an alarm bell for the development of the industry.)
• 我们要时刻把警钟挂在心头。(We should always keep the alarm bell in mind — stay ever-vigilant.)

错误说法

• 我买了个警钟放在桌上。(In modern usage, 警钟 is almost always figurative — for an actual alarm clock or bell, use 闹钟 or 警报)

起源与历史

警 (warning) + 钟 (bell). Historically, alarm bells were rung in cities and military camps to signal danger. The compound 警钟 extends this into a powerful metaphor for warnings in public discourse.

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal