How to Say "Voice" in Chinese

声音

shēngyīn

The English word "voice" is translated into Chinese as 声音 (shēngyīn).

声音 is a general term used for both human voices and inanimate sounds, such as the sound of a bell or a car.

Meaning: sound made through vibration of the vocal cords (noun)

What does it mean word for word?

The word 声音 is composed of two parts: 声, meaning sound or noise and 音, meaning sound or tone.

While 声音 is a general term for any sound or voice, 嗓音 is used more specifically to describe the unique quality or timbre of a person's vocal cords.

shēngyīn

When describing a voice that is exceptionally high-pitched, Chinese speakers might use the word 尖, which literally translates to 'sharp' or 'pointed', as if the sound has a physical edge.
The character 声 (shēng) can also mean 'reputation' or 'fame' in certain contexts, suggesting that a person's 'voice' is inextricably linked to their social standing.
While 声音 covers all sounds, Chinese has specific characters for sounds based on the source, such as 鸣 for the 'voice' of birds or insects.

汤姆声音尖。
Tom has a high-pitched voice.
This sentence is useful for describing the pitch of the 声音.
Tatoeba #5072279 by musclegirlxyp, translation #1025484 by CK
他的声音很悦耳。
He has a pleasant voice.
This sentence is useful for describing a pleasant 声音.
Tatoeba #1454448 by sadhen, translation #418851 by FeuDRenais
正的声音很温柔。
Tadashi has a soft voice.
This sentence is useful for describing a soft 声音.
Tatoeba #8936645 by crescat, translation #271589 by CN
12 more sentences on Tatoeba

In a recording studio, a singer is practicing.

梓涵 Zihan

志强，你的声音太大了。
Zhìqiáng, nǐ de shēngyīn tài dà le.
Zhiqiang, your voice is too loud.
志强 Zhiqiang

对不起，我刚才太兴奋了。
Duìbuqǐ, wǒ gāngcái tài xīngfèn le.
Sorry, I was too excited just now.
梓涵 Zihan

没关系，请稍微小声一点。
Méiguānxì, qǐng shāowēi xiǎoshēng yīdiǎn.
It's okay, please be a little quieter.
志强 Zhiqiang

好的，梓涵，我会注意的。
Hǎo de, Zǐhán, wǒ huì zhùyì de.
Okay, Zihan, I will be careful.

Sources

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