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    Chinese Grammar

    Referring to a "sound" or "voice" with 声 (shēng)

    Topic & Focus

    Structure

    Noun + 声

    Explanation

    The noun 声 (shēng) means "sound," "voice," or "tone," and is used to describe audible noises or utterances. It frequently appears as a suffix attached to the source of the sound, such as 风雨声 (sound of wind and rain). It is one of the most common characters in Chinese.

    Examples

    • 半夜突然听到一声巨响，把我吓醒了。

      Bànyè tūrán tīng dào yī shēng jùxiǎng, bǎ wǒ xià xǐng le.

      In the middle of the night, a sudden loud bang startled me awake.

    • 她的笑声特别好听，整个房间都能听到。

      Tā de xiàoshēng tèbié hǎotīng, zhěnggè fángjiān dōu néng tīng dào.

      Her laughter sounds especially pleasant; the whole room can hear it.

    • 外面的风雨声太大了，我根本睡不着。

      Wàimiàn de fēngyǔ shēng tài dà le, wǒ gēnběn shuì bù zháo.

      The sound of the wind and rain outside was so loud that I couldn't sleep at all.

    Referring to a "sound" or "voice" with 声 (shēng) | Chinese Grammar