HSK 4, zg, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #1855, Medium
响
xiǎng
sound
HSK 4, zg, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #1855, Medium
响
xiǎng
noise
HSK 4, zg, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #1855, Medium
响
xiǎng
to make a sound
HSK 4, zg, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #1855, Medium
响
xiǎng
to sound
HSK 4, zg, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #1855, Medium
响
xiǎng
to ring
HSK 4, zg, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #1855, Medium
响
xiǎng
loud
HSK 4, zg, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #1855, Medium
响
xiǎng
classifier for noises
HSK 4, zg, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #1855, Medium
响
xiǎng
to make noise, to make sound; sound
HSK 4, zg, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #1855, Medium
xiǎng(xiang3)xiang T3
1echo
2sound
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March 24, 2026
响(響)xiǎng(xiang3)
The character 响 (xiǎng) primarily means 'to make a sound' or 'to echo.' It is used in both literal contexts, such as describing sounds or noises, and figurative contexts, like expressing the impact of an idea. This character can also serve as a classifier for various types of noise.
Strokes9Radical口Frequency#1855DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, sounds have significant meanings, such as the sound of bells during festivals symbolizing luck and prosperity. The concept of echoing sounds can also be found in poetry, reflecting beauty and nature.
Memory Tip
Imagine a loud bell ringing (响) in a quiet valley, creating echoes. The character is composed of the 'mouth' radical (口) and the 'sound' component (相), suggesting that sound comes out of the mouth, helping you remember that 响 relates to making sounds.
Meanings of 响
xiǎng(xiang3)
1echo
2sound
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 响 means.
About 响
响Simplified
響Traditional
9Strokes
口Radical
状态词zgav (stat.)Part of Speech
#1855Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 响
Podcast: 响
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AI Study Notes for 响
Quick Contrast
响 (xiǎng) vs 声 (shēng) — use 响 when emphasizing the action of making a sound, while 声 refers more to the sound itself or its quality.
Usage Notes
Be careful with the tone; 响 is pronounced with a falling-rising tone (xiǎng), which can be confused with similarly pronounced words. It is often used in phrases like 响亮 (xiǎngliàng, 'loud') or 响声 (xiǎngshēng, 'sound/noise'). In informal contexts, it can describe any kind of noise, while formal usage might refer to specific sounds.
HSK Study Tips
As a Level 4 HSK word, 响 connects with other sound-related vocabulary like 声音 (shēngyīn, 'sound') and 听 (tīng, 'to listen'). Students should focus on practicing its usage in various phrases and contexts to reinforce its meaning.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 响 with 声音 (shēngyīn) and use them interchangeably. For example, saying '响音' instead of '声音' is incorrect; remember, 响 describes the action, while 声音 describes the sound itself.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 响
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How Well Do You Know 响?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 响 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
响 = 口 + 向. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 响
IDS Structure⿰口向
响Full Character
=
口kou3
left
向Xiang4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 响?
How to say echo in Chinese
“echo” in Chinese is响xiǎng
The character 响 (xiǎng) primarily means 'to make a sound' or 'to echo.' It is used in both literal contexts, such as describing sounds or noises, and figurative contexts, like expressing the impact of an idea. This character can also serve as a classifier for various types of noise.
When to use 响
Be careful with the tone; 响 is pronounced with a falling-rising tone (xiǎng), which can be confused with similarly pronounced words. It is often used in phrases like 响亮 (xiǎngliàng, 'loud') or 响声 (xiǎngshēng, 'sound/noise'). In informal contexts, it can describe any kind of noise, while formal usage might refer to specific sounds.
响 or something close to it
响 (xiǎng) vs 声 (shēng) — use 响 when emphasizing the action of making a sound, while 声 refers more to the sound itself or its quality.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 响 with 声音 (shēngyīn) and use them interchangeably. For example, saying '响音' instead of '声音' is incorrect; remember, 响 describes the action, while 声音 describes the sound itself.
Write 响
响
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Practice writing 响 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 响
响 carries 9 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
The music echoed in the vast hall, as if it came from all directions.
19
他的声音在隧道里响起，产生了长长的回声。
Tā de shēngyīn zài suìdào lǐ xiǎngqǐ, chǎnshēngle chángcháng de huíshēng.
His voice echoed in the tunnel, creating a long reverberation.
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Cultural Notes for 响
💡Did you know?
In Chinese, the character 响 (xiǎng) is made up of the mouth radical (口) which emphasizes the sound aspect. This reflects the importance of sound in communication and culture, where music and speech play vital roles.
📜Proverb
The Chinese saying '响声不如实际' means 'Sound does not equal substance.' This emphasizes that actions speak louder than words, a key principle in Chinese culture.
Word Family of 响
Words Containing This Character20
影响yǐngxiǎnginfluence影響
响xiǎngecho響
影响力influence影響力
音响yīnxiǎngsound音響
响应xiǎngyìnganswer響應
反响fǎnxiǎngreaction反響
打响to start shooting or firing打響
声响sound聲響
敲响to sound a bell敲響
响亮xiǎngliàngloud and clear響亮
响声xiǎngshēngnoise響聲
响尾蛇rattlesnake響尾蛇
巨响loud sound巨響
交响乐jiāoxiǎngyuèsymphony交響樂
回响to echo迴響
不同凡响brilliant不同凡響
交响曲symphony交響曲
交响乐团symphony orchestra交響樂團
响彻to resound響徹
响应时间response time響應時間
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 响
What does 影响 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 响
Yes, 响 is commonly used in everyday Chinese conversations, especially when discussing sounds or noises. You might hear it in phrases related to music, alarms, or natural sounds.
Some synonyms for 响 include 声音 (shēngyīn), which means 'sound,' and 噪音 (zàoyīn), meaning 'noise.' These words can be used in similar contexts but may have slightly different connotations.
响 (xiǎng) means 'to sound' or 'to ring.' It can also refer to an 'echo' or 'noise.' This character is commonly used in contexts involving sounds or auditory experiences.
响 can be used in sentences like '铃响了' (The bell rang) or '他在响着音乐' (He is playing music loudly). It often describes actions related to making or producing sound.
You can say '这声音响得很大' (zhè shēngyīn xiǎng de hěn dà) which means 'This sound is very loud.'
响 focuses on the action of making sound, while 声音 refers more to the sound itself.
Yes, it can be used to describe music if you're referring to the sound or volume, like '这音乐响得很动人' (This music sounds very moving).
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