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啧 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
啧zéinterjection of approval or admirationo, 11 strokes, radical 口, rank #21991, Very Hard
啧zé(interj. of admiration or of disgust)unknown, 11 strokes, radical 口, rank #21991, Very Hard
啧zéto click one's tongueunknown, 11 strokes, radical 口, rank #21991, Very Hard
啧zéto attempt to (find an opportunity to) speakunknown, 11 strokes, radical 口, rank #21991, Very Hard
zé(ze2)ze T2
  1. 1interjection of approval or admiration
  2. 2(interj. of admiration or of disgust)
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March 24, 2026

啧(嘖)zé(ze2)

The character 啧 (zé) is an interjection used to express approval or admiration, similar to the English 'wow' or 'indeed.' It can also convey disgust when clicking the tongue, indicating disapproval or surprise. This character is commonly used in informal contexts and can express a range of emotions depending on tone and context.

Strokes11Radical口Frequency#21991DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, expressing admiration or critique through interjections is common in everyday conversation, reflecting the importance of emotional expression in communication. The sound of 啧 can often be heard in markets or social gatherings when people react to performances or sales.

Memory tip

Imagine a person clicking their tongue in surprise or admiration while exclaiming 'zé!' The character 啧 resembles a person with their mouth open, either in awe or distaste, making it a visual reminder of the sound made when expressing these emotions.

Meanings of 啧

zé(ze2)
1interjection of approval or admiration
2(interj. of admiration or of disgust)
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 啧

啧Simplified
嘖Traditional
11Strokes
口Radical
拟声词onomatopoeia (onom.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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AI study notes for 啧

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include using 啧 in overly formal contexts or mispronouncing the tone. It's essential to use the correct tone (second tone) to convey the intended meaning. Phrases like 啧啧称赞 (zézé chēngzàn) mean to praise someone, which is a common collocation.

HSK Study Tips

Although 啧 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance conversational skills. At beginner levels, focus on basic interjections and expressions of emotions to build fluency. This character connects with other emotional interjections like 哇 (wā) and 哎 (āi).

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 啧 with other interjections, like 哇 (wā), which expresses amazement rather than approval. For example, saying '我啧这个表演' (I zé this performance) is incorrect; the correct phrase would be '我赞美这个表演' (I admire this performance).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 啧

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Etymology of 啧

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 责 represents the sound. Simplified form of 嘖.

Memory hint

mouth

Semantic (meaning)口
+
Phonetic (sound)责
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

啧 = 口 + 责. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 啧

IDS Structure⿰口责
啧Full character
=
口kou3
left
责ze2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 啧?

How to say interjection of approval or admiration in Chinese

“interjection of approval or admiration” in Chinese is啧zé

The character 啧 (zé) is an interjection used to express approval or admiration, similar to the English 'wow' or 'indeed.' It can also convey disgust when clicking the tongue, indicating disapproval or surprise. This character is commonly used in informal contexts and can express a range of emotions depending on tone and context.

When to use 啧

Common mistakes include using 啧 in overly formal contexts or mispronouncing the tone. It's essential to use the correct tone (second tone) to convey the intended meaning. Phrases like 啧啧称赞 (zézé chēngzàn) mean to praise someone, which is a common collocation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 啧 with other interjections, like 哇 (wā), which expresses amazement rather than approval. For example, saying '我啧这个表演' (I zé this performance) is incorrect; the correct phrase would be '我赞美这个表演' (I admire this performance).

Write 啧

啧

Practice writing 啧 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar patterns of 啧

啧 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 4 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

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

对那小孩讲述的遭遇,老师____啧地表示同情。

The teacher clucked sympathetically at the child's story.

Example sentences for 啧 (4)

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1
对那小孩讲述的遭遇,老师啧啧地表示同情。

duì nà xiǎohái jiǎngshù de zāoyù, lǎoshī zé zé dì biǎoshì tóngqíng。

The teacher clucked sympathetically at the child's story.
2
人们对经济、利率和房价啧有烦言。

rénmen duì jīngjì、 lìlǜ hé fángjià zé yǒu fán yán。

There have been grouses about the economy, interest rates and house prices.
3
他咂嘴发出啧啧声以吸引他们的注意。

tā zā zuǐ fāchū zé zé shēng yǐ xīyǐn tāmen de zhùyì。

He clicked his tongue to attract their attention.
4
他吹了吹勺子里的汤,然后啧啧地喝了下去。

tā chuīle chuī sháozi lǐ de shāng, ránhòu zé zé dì hē le xiàqù。

He blew on his soup before slurping it off the spoon.

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Word Family of 啧

Words containing this character3
啧啧zézéto click one's tongue嘖嘖
啧zéto click one's tongue嘖
啧啧称奇zézéchēngqíto be astonished嘖嘖稱奇
Exercise 1 of 2

Words with 啧

What does 啧啧 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 啧

No, 啧 is typically an informal interjection and is best suited for spoken language or casual writing.

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