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March 24, 2026
咝(噝)sī(si1)
The character 咝 (sī) represents an onomatopoetic sound, typically associated with hissing, whistling, or fizzing noises. It is often used in contexts where there is a sharp, sibilant sound, making it common in descriptions of animals or objects that create such sounds, like snakes or boiling liquids.
Strokes8Radical口Frequency#18085DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the sound of hissing can be associated with various animals, particularly snakes, which are significant in folklore and symbolism. The sound may evoke feelings of caution or fear, reflecting cultural attitudes towards snakes.
Memory Tip
Think of a snake (which often hisses) and imagine it as a 'sizzling' sound, almost like a 's' that is being drawn out, creating a hissing effect. The character 咝 combines the radical for mouth (口) with a phonetic component that evokes the sound itself.
Meanings of 咝
sī(si1)
1onomatopoetic, a hissing sound
2(onom.) to hiss
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 咝
咝Simplified
噝Traditional
8Strokes
口Radical
拟声词onomatopoeia (onom.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 咝
Podcast: 咝
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AI Study Notes for 咝
Memory Mnemonic
Think of a snake (which often hisses) and imagine it as a 'sizzling' sound, almost like a 's' that is being drawn out, creating a hissing effect. The character 咝 combines the radical for mouth (口) with a phonetic component that evokes the sound itself.
Usage Notes
This character is informal and primarily used in descriptive writing or dialogue. Common mistakes include using it in formal contexts or mispronouncing it with a different tone. It often collocates with verbs like 'to make' (发) to describe the action of producing the sound.
HSK Study Tips
While 咝 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects well with other sound-related words at the same level. Focus on using it in descriptions of actions to enhance your vocabulary around sounds and actions.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the sound of hissing can be associated with various animals, particularly snakes, which are significant in folklore and symbolism. The sound may evoke feelings of caution or fear, reflecting cultural attitudes towards snakes.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 咝 with similar-sounding characters like 思 (sī, to think) or 斯 (sī, this). A common mistake is saying 'sī' with an incorrect tone, which can change the meaning entirely.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 咝
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Grammar Patterns of 咝
咝 functions as an onomatopoeic word — it imitates a sound. It often functions as an adverbial or stand-alone exclamation rather than a true verb or noun. It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
壶在火上____咝作响.
The kettle was singing on the fire.
Example Sentences for 咝 (2)
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1
壶在火上咝咝作响.
hú zài huǒ shàng sī sī zuò xiǎng.
The kettle was singing on the fire.
2
火腿在煎锅中咝咝作响.
huǒ tuǐ zài jiān guō zhōng sī sī zuò xiǎng.
The ham frizzled in the frying pan.
Exercise 1 of 1
Reorder the Sentence
The kettle was singing on the fire.
Tap tokens to build the sentence
Cultural Notes for 咝
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the sound of hissing can be associated with various animals, particularly snakes, which are significant in folklore and symbolism. The sound may evoke feelings of caution or fear, reflecting cultural attitudes towards snakes.
Word Family of 咝
Words Containing This Character1
咝sīto whiz噝
Exercise 1 of 1
Compound Meaning
What does 咝 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 咝
咝 (sī) is pronounced with a high flat tone, similar to the English 'see' but with a more pronounced 's' sound.
Generally, 咝 is not used for musical sounds but rather for sharper, more abrupt noises.
It is more commonly found in descriptive writing or literature rather than in daily spoken language.
