Definitions

qiāng (noun) cavity; hollow space in body
qiāng (noun) accent; tone of speech
qiāng (noun) tune; melody

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. ⺼ represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "腔" is structured with the radical "月", commonly associated with the body, and the component "空", which means empty, forming a compound that originally referred to a hollow space within the body such as the chest or nasal cavity. Its early meanings were primarily anatomical, but over time it acquired broader applications related to sound and voice, likely due to the role of bodily cavities in resonance. This shift allowed "腔" to denote vocal tone, accent, and specific musical pitches, reflecting a semantic expansion from physical emptiness to qualities of sound production.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

健康很重要。

Kǒuqiāng jiànkāng hěn zhòngyào.

Oral health is very important.

他说话带有北方调。

Tā shuōhuà dài yǒu běifāng qiāngdiào.

He speaks with a northern accent.

医生用听诊器检查胸

Yīshēng yòng tīngzhěnqì jiǎnchá xiōngqiāng.

The doctor uses a stethoscope to examine the chest cavity.

手术需要专业医生。

Fùqiāng shǒushù xūyào zhuānyè yīshēng.

Abdominal cavity surgery requires a specialist.

她的调听起来很温柔。

Tā de qiāngdiào tīng qǐlái hěn wēnróu.

Her tone sounds very gentle.

保持口清洁可以预防疾病。

Bǎochí kǒuqiāng qīngjié kěyǐ yùfáng jíbìng.

Maintaining oral cleanliness can prevent diseases.

和腹之间由横膈膜分隔。

Xiōngqiāng hé fùqiāng zhī jiān yóu hénggémó fēngé.

The chest cavity and abdominal cavity are separated by the diaphragm.

这种肠动物的身体结构很简单。

Zhè zhǒng qiāngcháng dòngwù de shēntǐ jiégòu hěn jiǎndān.

The body structure of this coelenterate is very simple.