'Hǎn shēng' literally combines 喊 (to shout, yell) and 声 (sound, voice), meaning 'a shout' or 'a cry' — specifically a loud, forceful vocalization. It refers to the audible output itself, not the act of shouting, so it functions as a noun describing the sound produced during an exclamation, alarm, or emotional outburst.

This word often appears in contexts involving sudden emotion (fear, excitement, pain), animal calls (e.g., a tiger’s roar or a bird’s alarm call), or collective human expression (e.g., cheering or warning cries). Unlike the verb 喊, which focuses on the action, 喊声 emphasizes the resulting sound — you can hear a 喊声, count several 喊声, or describe its volume or tone. It’s neutral in register and commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese, especially in narrative or descriptive writing.