‘叫声’ literally combines 叫 (jiào), meaning 'to shout' or 'to cry', and 声 (shēng), meaning 'sound' or 'voice'. Together, it refers to a vocal utterance produced with force or emotion — most commonly a loud, sharp, or urgent sound. It emphasizes the auditory quality rather than the speaker’s intent, so it often describes involuntary or instinctive vocalizations.

This word is frequently used for animal sounds (e.g., a dog’s bark, a bird’s call) and human cries of alarm, pain, or excitement. Unlike ‘喊声’ (shout) or ‘哭声’ (cry), which specify manner or emotion, ‘叫声’ is more neutral and descriptive — focusing on the sound itself as an observable phenomenon. It appears often in nature writing, news reports about emergencies, and everyday descriptions of sudden noises.