====== lùyīn: 录音 - To Record (sound), Sound Recording ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** luyin, 录音, Chinese for record, audio recording in Chinese, record sound, voice memo in Chinese, what does luyin mean, 录音 vs 录像, record a meeting in Chinese
  * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese word **录音 (lùyīn)**, which means "to record sound" or a "sound recording." This page breaks down the characters 录 (to record) and 音 (sound), explains its use as both a verb and a noun, and explores its role in modern China, from WeChat voice messages to legal evidence. With 10+ practical example sentences and clear distinctions from similar words like 录像 (to record video), this is the ultimate guide for beginners to master 录音.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** lùyīn
  * **Part of Speech:** Verb / Noun
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 4
  * **Concise Definition:** To make an audio recording; a sound recording itself.
  * **In a Nutshell:** **录音 (lùyīn)** is the go-to term for anything related to capturing sound. Think of hitting the record button on your phone's voice memo app, a journalist recording an interview, or a musician in a recording studio. It can be the action of recording (verb) or the resulting audio file (noun). It is a very direct and functional word.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **录 (lù):** This character means "to record" or "to write down." It's composed of the metal radical (钅) and a phonetic component. You can think of it as the act of inscribing or logging information, originally onto materials like metal or bamboo strips.
  * **音 (yīn):** This character simply means "sound" or "tone." It's a foundational character in music and audio-related vocabulary.
  * Together, 录 (record) + 音 (sound) literally means "to record sound." The meaning is transparent and easy to remember.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
While "recording" is a universal technological concept, its use in China has a few distinct cultural flavors.
  * **WeChat Voice Messages (微信语音):** In the West, sending voice notes is common but often secondary to texting. In China, sending short (and sometimes very long) voice messages via WeChat is extremely common, arguably more so than in many Western cultures. It's a quick, personal way to communicate, but there's an etiquette to it—sending a string of 60-second voice messages can be seen as inconsiderate to the receiver who has to listen to them all. This is a primary daily interaction with **录音**.
  * **Legal Evidence:** Audio recordings (**录音**) can be, and often are, used as evidence in Chinese legal disputes. However, the legality can be complex. Secretly recorded conversations might not always be admissible, and the rules can differ from those in Western legal systems. This adds a layer of seriousness to the act of recording a conversation.
  * **Contrast with "Note-Taking":** While in English "to record" can sometimes figuratively mean "to make a note of," the Chinese term **记录 (jìlù)** covers that broader meaning (e.g., recording meeting minutes). **录音 (lùyīn)** is almost exclusively used for capturing actual sound.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
**录音** is a high-frequency word used in many everyday and professional contexts.
  * **As a Verb (to record):** You use it when you are performing the action of capturing audio.
    * e.g., "请不要**录音**。" (Please don't record.)
  * **As a Noun (a recording):** You use it to refer to the audio file or the product of recording.
    * e.g., "你能把**录音**发给我吗？" (Can you send me the recording?)
  * **In Common Compounds:**
    * **录音笔 (lùyīnbǐ):** A digital voice recorder, literally "recording pen."
    * **录音棚 (lùyīnpéng):** A recording studio, literally "recording shed/studio."
    * **录音机 (lùyīnjī):** An older term for a tape recorder or audio recorder, "recording machine."
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 老师，我可以**录音**吗？我怕我听不懂。
    * Pinyin: Lǎoshī, wǒ kěyǐ **lùyīn** ma? Wǒ pà wǒ tīng bù dǒng.
    * English: Teacher, may I record the class? I'm afraid I won't be able to understand everything.
    * Analysis: A classic and polite request from a student. **录音** is used as a verb here.
  * **Example 2:**
    * 今天的会议**录音**我已经发到你邮箱了。
    * Pinyin: Jīntiān de huìyì **lùyīn** wǒ yǐjīng fā dào nǐ yóuxiāng le.
    * English: I've already sent today's meeting recording to your email.
    * Analysis: Here, **录音** is used as a noun, referring to the audio file of the meeting.
  * **Example 3:**
    * 这位歌手正在**录音**棚里录制她的新专辑。
    * Pinyin: Zhè wèi gēshǒu zhèngzài **lùyīn**péng lǐ lùzhì tā de xīn zhuānjí.
    * English: This singer is in the recording studio recording her new album.
    * Analysis: This example shows the compound word **录音棚 (lùyīnpéng)**, meaning "recording studio."
  * **Example 4:**
    * 记者用**录音**笔记录下了整个采访过程。
    * Pinyin: Jìzhě yòng **lùyīn**bǐ jìlù xiàle zhěnggè cǎifǎng guòchéng.
    * English: The journalist used a recording pen to record the entire interview process.
    * Analysis: Features the compound **录音笔 (lùyīnbǐ)**, a very common device.
  * **Example 5:**
    * 你别给我发**录音**了，打字吧，我现在不方便听。
    * Pinyin: Nǐ bié gěi wǒ fā **lùyīn** le, dǎzì ba, wǒ xiànzài bù fāngbiàn tīng.
    * English: Stop sending me voice recordings, just type. It's not convenient for me to listen right now.
    * Analysis: This sentence perfectly captures the social etiquette of WeChat. **录音** here refers to voice messages.
  * **Example 6:**
    * 这段**录音**可以作为他撒谎的证据。
    * Pinyin: Zhè duàn **lùyīn** kěyǐ zuòwéi tā sāhuǎng de zhèngjù.
    * English: This recording can be used as evidence that he was lying.
    * Analysis: Demonstrates the legal or formal use of **录音** as evidence.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 我的手机有**录音**功能。
    * Pinyin: Wǒ de shǒujī yǒu **lùyīn** gōngnéng.
    * English: My phone has a voice recording function.
    * Analysis: A simple, practical sentence describing a device's capability. **录音** is part of the compound **录音功能 (lùyīn gōngnéng)**, "recording function."
  * **Example 8:**
    * 他把重要的电话通话都**录音**了。
    * Pinyin: Tā bǎ zhòngyào de diànhuà tōnghuà dōu **lùyīn** le.
    * English: He recorded all of his important phone calls.
    * Analysis: Uses the 把 (bǎ) structure to emphasize the action (**录音**) being performed on the object (phone calls).
  * **Example 9:**
    * 这份**录音**的音质不太好，有很多噪音。
    * Pinyin: Zhè fèn **lùyīn** de yīnzhì bù tài hǎo, yǒu hěn duō zàoyīn.
    * English: The sound quality of this recording isn't very good; there's a lot of noise.
    * Analysis: Using **录音** as a noun and describing its quality. **份 (fèn)** is a common measure word for files and documents.
  * **Example 10:**
    * 抱歉，我们公司规定，面试过程不允许**录音**或录像。
    * Pinyin: Bàoqiàn, wǒmen gōngsī guīdìng, miànshì guòchéng bù yǔnxǔ **lùyīn** huò lùxiàng.
    * English: Sorry, our company policy states that recording audio or video is not permitted during the interview process.
    * Analysis: A formal announcement that clearly distinguishes between **录音 (lùyīn)** and its video counterpart, **录像 (lùxiàng)**.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **录音 (lùyīn) vs. 录像 (lùxiàng):** This is the most common mistake for learners.
    * **录音 (lùyīn):** **Audio only.** (音 = sound)
    * **录像 (lùxiàng):** **Video.** (像 = image/portrait). If you are recording video with sound, you use **录像**.
    * Incorrect: 我想**录音**这个美丽的风景。(I want to audio-record this beautiful scenery.)
    * Correct: 我想**录像**这个美丽的风景。(I want to video-record this beautiful scenery.)
  * **录音 (lùyīn) vs. 记录 (jìlù):**
    * **录音 (lùyīn):** Specifically recording sound with a device.
    * **记录 (jìlù):** A broader term for "to record" or "to take down," most often meaning to write notes. You **记录** meeting minutes, you don't **录音** them (unless you're literally making an audio recording of the meeting).
    * Incorrect: 我用笔**录音**了老师说的话。(I used a pen to audio-record what the teacher said.)
    * Correct: 我用笔**记录**了老师说的话。(I used a pen to write down/log what the teacher said.)
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[录像]] (lùxiàng) - The direct counterpart for video; to record video or a video recording.
  * [[录制]] (lùzhì) - A more formal term for "to record," often used for professional productions like TV shows, podcasts, or music albums.
  * [[记录]] (jìlù) - To record in a general sense, usually by writing; a log, a record, meeting minutes.
  * [[音频]] (yīnpín) - A more technical term for "audio" or "audio frequency," like in "audio file" (音频文件).
  * [[播放]] (bōfàng) - To play (media), the opposite of recording. Used for audio, video, etc.
  * [[声音]] (shēngyīn) - The general word for "sound" or "voice." **录音** is the act of capturing **声音**.
  * [[麦克风]] (màikèfēng) - Microphone. A phonetic loanword essential for **录音**.
  * [[耳机]] (ěrjī) - Headphones/earphones. Essential for listening to a **录音** privately.
  * [[录音笔]] (lùyīnbǐ) - A digital voice recorder ("recording pen").
  * [[录音棚]] (lùyīnpéng) - A professional recording studio ("recording shed").