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抑扬顿挫

抑揚頓挫
yìyángdùncuò
idiom HSK 7 #56,838

Meanings

  1. 1 with cadence and rhythm
  2. 2 modulated (of voice/speech)
  3. 3 with rising and falling intonation

Examples

他的演讲抑扬顿挫，非常动听。
Tā de yǎnjiǎng yìyángdùncuò, fēicháng dòngtīng.
His speech had excellent cadence and was very pleasant to listen to.
朗读课文要注意抑扬顿挫。
Lǎngdú kèwén yào zhùyì yìyángdùncuò.
When reading aloud, pay attention to the rhythm and intonation.

Tips

memory
抑 (suppress/lower) + 扬 (raise) + 顿 (pause) + 挫 (drop) = lower, raise, pause, drop—the four elements of expressive speech.
usage
抑扬顿挫 is always a compliment describing skilled, expressive delivery. Used for speeches, poetry recitation, singing, and storytelling.

Stroke Order

抑 yì
扬 yáng
顿 dùn
挫 cuò