音 yīn — sound, tone · English

音

yīn

sound, tone

At a glance · 音

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Audio is synthesized in your browser: Mandarin for the character and Shuowen text, native voices for every translation. No downloads.

Evolution of the glyph

Five stages, from a sketch of the real object to regular script — tap a stage, drag the timeline, or play the animation.

Object sketchBefore writing · drawing what was seen
Oracle boneShang dynasty · c. 1300–1046 BCE
Seal scriptQin dynasty · 221–206 BCE
Clerical scriptHan dynasty · 206 BCE–220 CE
Regular scriptWei–Jin to Tang · c. 3rd–9th century CE

Object sketchBefore writing · drawing what was seenOracle boneShang dynasty · c. 1300–1046 BCESeal scriptQin dynasty · 221–206 BCEClerical scriptHan dynasty · 206 BCE–220 CERegular scriptWei–Jin to Tang · c. 3rd–9th century CE

⚠ Some ancient forms are not attested：oracle bone form、seal script form。No excavated oracle bone / seal artifact is attested for this character yet; we leave it blank rather than fabricate.

甲骨文、金文从言（或辛）从一（或立），会意口中发出的声。小篆作「音」，与「言」同源。隶楷作「音」。

What the sketch shows

Origins & notes

「音」本指人声、乐声，引申为消息。

Structure

会意字，从言从一（或立），象声出于口。

At a glance

Pinyinyīn

Radical音

Strokes9

UnicodeU+97F3

Character type会意

Theme礼乐

Six languages, one character

Each page offers hreflang versions; switching language keeps the glyphs and meanings aligned.

English sound, tone Sound, voice; musical tone; news.

Français son, ton Son, voix; ton musical; nouvelles.

Español sonido, tono Sonido, voz; tono musical; noticias.

العربية صوت، نغمة صوت أو نغمة أو خبر.

Русский звук, тон Звук, голос; музыкальный тон; весть.

Common words

音乐yīn yuèmusic
声音shēng yīnsound

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