聲 (shēng) - Sound, voice, noise & tone

聲Tone 1

shēng ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

上姝

聲 · shēng

Sound, voice, noise;

tone;

reputation;

in phonetics, the initial consonant of a syllable.

Sound, voice, noisetonereputation

Usage highlights

VoiceSoundReputationAccentAnnouncementApplause

Synonyms

  • 音— sound, tone
  • 响— sound, noise

Antonyms

  • 寂— silence, quiet
  • 静— still, quiet

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The sound of music is beautiful (音乐声).
  • He spoke in a loud voice (大声说话).
  • The company has a good reputation (名声好).
  • Please lower your voice (请小声一点).

Collocations

  • Voice(声音)
  • Sound(声音)
  • Reputation(名声)
  • Accent(口声)
  • Announcement(声明)
  • Applause(掌声)

Idioms

  • To make a big fuss(大声疾呼)
  • To be widely known(声名远扬)
  • To be in full cry(声势浩大)
  • To be famous(声名鹊起)
  • To fall silent(销声匿迹)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • One of the key concepts in Chinese phonology, forming the 'initial' (声母) part of a syllable.
  • Historically important in poetry and tonal aesthetics.
  • Used metaphorically for reputation and social standing.

FAQ