Definitions

yīn (noun) sound; noise
yīn (noun) musical note; tone
yīn (noun) news; information

Etymology

Originally the same as (speech) but with an extra line added in the mouth () to distinguish the two characters.

About

The character 音, denoting sound, originated as a modification of the graph for speech, 言, through the inclusion of an internal mark to specifically represent the audible aspect of spoken language. Its form gradually consolidated into the present configuration, which is now commonly analyzed as a combination of 立 and 日, a structural interpretation that emerged from prolonged scribal conventions rather than the original pictographic intent. While its core meaning has always been associated with auditory phenomena, its application expanded over time to include musical pitch, phonetic components of syllables, and abstract notions of news or tone in communication.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Warring States (~400 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

乐让我感到快乐。

Yīnyuè ràng wǒ gǎndào kuàilè.

Music makes me feel happy.

我听到了奇怪的声

Wǒ tīng dào le qíguài de shēngyīn.

I heard a strange sound.

请把乐的量调小一点。

Qǐng bǎ yīnyuè de yīnliàng tiáo xiǎo yīdiǎn.

Please turn down the volume of the music.

她的发非常标准清晰。

Tā de fāyīn fēichāng biāozhǔn qīngxī.

Her pronunciation is very standard and clear.

这段录记录了重要的会议内容。

Zhè duàn lùyīn jìlù le zhòngyào de huìyì nèiróng.

This recording captured the important content of the meeting.

手机收到了新消息的提示

Shǒujī shōu dào le xīn xiāoxi de tíshì yīn.

The phone received a notification sound for a new message.

他对古典乐有很深的研究。

Tā duì gǔdiǎn yīnyuè yǒu hěn shēn de yánjiū.

He has a deep study of classical music.

山谷里回荡着悠扬的笛

Shāngǔ lǐ huídàng zhe yōuyáng de dí yīn.

The melodious sound of the flute echoed in the valley.