Meaning of 相声
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- comic dialogue
- sketch
- crosstalk
How to use 相声
相声 is a traditional Chinese comedy performance, usually two people trading fast jokes and wordplay on stage, and it is especially popular in northern China. The measure word is often 段 (duàn). Example: 我爷爷很喜欢听相声。(Wǒ yéye hěn xǐhuan tīng xiàngsheng.) My grandpa really likes listening to crosstalk.
相 (xiàng) can mean appearance or face, and 声 (shēng) means sound or voice. Picture two performers using faces and voices to make the crowd laugh, and you have 相声.
Common mistake: Learners often read 相 as xiāng, as in 相信 (xiāngxìn), but in 相声 it is fourth tone xiàng, like in 照相 (zhàoxiàng). Also, 声 here is usually said in the neutral tone: xiàngsheng, not xiàng shēng.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
相 xiāng · mutual · 9 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
声 shēng · sound · 7 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
Related words
Words that share a character with 相声.
| 相信 | xiāngxìn | to believe; to be convinced; to accept as true |
| 声音 | shēngyīn | sound; voice |
| 大声 | dà shēng | loud voice; in a loud voice |
| 相同 | xiāngtóng | identical; same |
| 相机 | xiàngjī | camera (abbr. for 照相機|照相机[zhao4 xiang4 ji1]); at the opportune moment |
| 照相 | zhàoxiàng | to take a photograph |
| 小声 | xiǎo shēng | in a low voice; (speak) in whispers |
| 相当 | xiāngdāng | equivalent to; appropriate |
| 互相 | hùxiāng | each other; mutually |
| 相关 | xiāngguān | related; relevant |
| 相互 | xiānghù | each other; mutual |
| 声明 | shēngmíng | to state; to declare |
Questions about 相声
What does 相声 mean?
相声 (xiàngsheng) means "comic dialogue; sketch" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 相声?
相声 is made of 2 characters: 相 (9 strokes), 声 (7 strokes). That is 16 strokes in total.
Is 相声 an HSK word?
Yes. 相声 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 相声 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 相声 is written 相聲.
Is 相声 the same as stand-up comedy?
Not exactly. 相声 usually has two performers, one leading the jokes and one reacting, and it relies heavily on wordplay and set routines. Stand-up is usually called 脱口秀 (tuōkǒuxiù) in Chinese.
What verbs go with 相声?
You 听相声 (tīng xiàngsheng) to listen to it, 看相声 (kàn xiàngsheng) to watch it, and performers 说相声 (shuō xiàngsheng) to perform it. A performer is called a 相声演员 (xiàngsheng yǎnyuán).