声音
shēngyīn · HSK 2
voice
🔊 声音 = sound + tone; 声 means sound, 音 means tone or note
声 (shēng) covers voice or sound made by a being; 音 (yīn) is a tone, note, or audible signal. Together they form the general word for sound or voice — sound plus tone equals what you hear.
声 — 士 scholar/warrior on top + 尸-like form + components (simplified from 聲)
声 is the simplified form of 聲, which originally depicted a hanging stone chime (殸) being struck, with 耳 'ear' below to show hearing. The full form combined the sound-making instrument and the act of listening, meaning 'sound' or 'voice'. The modern simplified 声 keeps only the upper portion.