also: きょせい
noun
falling tone (in Chinese)
Linguistic term for the fourth tone in Middle Chinese and its reflexes in modern Chinese languages, characterized by a falling pitch contour. Also used in the context of Sino-Japanese vocabulary.
中国語の去声は、日本語のアクセントとは異なる概念だ。
The falling tone in Chinese is a different concept from Japanese pitch accent.
漢字音の「去声」は、現代中国語では第四声に相当する。
The 'falling tone' in Sino-Japanese readings corresponds to the fourth tone in modern Chinese.
From Middle Chinese 去聲 (kʰɨʌH ɕiᴇŋ), literally 'departing sound'. The term was used in traditional Chinese phonology to describe the tone category with a falling contour.