唱

Etymology & Components

The Chinese character 唱 (chàng) for "to sing" is composed of two parts: the radical 口 (kǒu) meaning "mouth" and the phonetic component 昌 (chāng). The radical indicates that the character is related to speaking or making sounds, while the phonetic component provides a hint about its pronunciation.The original form of 唱 was 象形 (xiàngxíng), or pictographic, depicting a person with an open mouth singing. Over time, the character evolved and simplified into its current form.The character 唱 has a rich history and has been used in Chinese literature and poetry for centuries. It is often used in combination with other characters to form words related to singing, such as 歌唱 (gēchàng) "to sing a song", 合唱 (héchàng) "to sing in chorus", and 演唱 (yǎnchàng) "to perform a song".In addition to its literal meaning of "to sing", 唱 can also be used figuratively to mean "to express oneself" or "to make a statement". For example, the phrase 高唱凯歌 (gāochàng kǎigē) means "to sing a song of triumph", while the phrase 唱反调 (chàng fǎndiào) means "to sing a different tune" or "to dissent".Overall, the character 唱 is a versatile and expressive character that plays an important role in the Chinese language. Its rich history and varied meanings make it an interesting and rewarding character to study for HSK learners.