noun HSK 4
sound · tone · news
Meaning
音 refers to sound in general, including musical tones, speech sounds, and auditory signals. It's a fundamental character that appears in many compound words related to sound, music, and phonetics.
Usage
音 rarely appears alone in modern spoken Mandarin. It's almost always used in compound words like 声音 (sound), 音乐 (music), 语音 (speech sound), or 发音 (pronunciation). When used alone in classical or formal contexts, it can mean 'news' or 'tidings'.
Examples
- 01这个字有两个读音。.This character has two pronunciations.
- 02他很久没有音信了。.There's been no news from him for a long time.
Common collocations
- 音调tone, pitch
- 音量volume (sound level)
- 音节syllable
- 读音pronunciation, reading
Antonyms
Origin
The character 音 shows 言 (speech) above 日 (sun/day), originally depicting sound being made during daylight, representing the concept of audible sound or tone.