Definition
轻声 has two main noun senses: in linguistics, it refers to the neutral tone (unstressed syllable in Mandarin), a key feature of pronunciation; in everyday language, it can also mean a soft, low voice or a quiet way of speaking.
n.
(linguistics) neutral tonelight stresssoft voicelow voice
Examples
- ，轻声。Zài pǔtōnghuà lǐ, qīng shēng shì yī zhǒng fēicháng zhòngyào de yǔyīn xiànxiàng.In Mandarin, the neutral tone is a very important phonetic phenomenon.
- ，轻声。Tā shuōhuà de shēngyīn hěn xiǎo, jīhū chéng le qīng shēng.His speaking voice is so soft that it's almost a whisper.
- 轻声。Lǎoshī qǐng wǒmen yòng qīng shēng lǎngdú zhè shǒu shī.The teacher asked us to read this poem in a soft voice.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.