unknown, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #37171, Very Hard
喳
zhā
to whisper
zg, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #37171, Very Hard
喳
zhā
(onom.) chirp, twitter, etc
unknown, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #37171, Very Hard
chā(cha1)
primary
T1
1to whisper
2(onom.) chirp, twitter, etc
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
喳chā(cha1)
The character 喳 (chā) primarily means to whisper or to make soft, chirping sounds. It is often used in contexts related to quiet conversations and the sounds made by small birds or insects. The nuance of this character conveys a sense of lightness and subtlety in communication.
Strokes12Radical口Frequency#37171DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the sounds of nature, such as birds chirping, are often associated with tranquility and beauty, representing a connection to the environment. The concept of whispering is also tied to the values of discretion and privacy in personal conversations.
Memory Tip
Imagine a small bird chirping softly in a tree, its gentle sounds echoing the whisper of secrets. The character 喳 visually resembles a bird's beak opening, ready to tweet or chirp, and the 'ch' in chā sounds like the beginning of 'chirp'.
Meanings of 喳
chā(cha1)
primary
1to whisper
2(onom.) chirp, twitter, etc
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 喳
喳Simplified
12Strokes
口Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 喳
Podcast: 喳
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AI Study Notes for 喳
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 喳 with similar-sounding characters, so it's important to remember its specific context related to whispering and chirping. This character is informal and often used in conversational settings rather than formal writing. Be careful with the tones, as the first tone (chā) is high and level, which can easily be mispronounced.
HSK Study Tips
喳 is not included in the HSK vocabulary list, but it can be associated with other words related to sound or speech, such as 说 (shuō - to speak) or 听 (tīng - to listen). Students should focus on recognizing its usage in informal dialogues or literature that involves nature.
Common Mistakes
Learners might mistakenly use 喳 in formal contexts or confuse it with similar-sounding characters. For example, using 喳 in a formal speech instead of 说 (shuō) would be incorrect.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 喳
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Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 查 represents the sound.
1The meaning half口 carries the sense.
2The sound half查 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaymouth
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 喳? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 喳?
Decomposition of 喳
IDS Structure⿰口查
喳Full Character
=
口kou3
left
查cha2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 喳?
How to say to whisper in Chinese
“to whisper” in Chinese is喳chā
The character 喳 (chā) primarily means to whisper or to make soft, chirping sounds. It is often used in contexts related to quiet conversations and the sounds made by small birds or insects. The nuance of this character conveys a sense of lightness and subtlety in communication.
When to use 喳
Learners often confuse 喳 with similar-sounding characters, so it's important to remember its specific context related to whispering and chirping. This character is informal and often used in conversational settings rather than formal writing. Be careful with the tones, as the first tone (chā) is high and level, which can easily be mispronounced.
What learners get wrong
Learners might mistakenly use 喳 in formal contexts or confuse it with similar-sounding characters. For example, using 喳 in a formal speech instead of 说 (shuō) would be incorrect.
Write 喳
喳
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Practice writing 喳 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 喳
喳 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
桉树上鸟儿在吱吱____喳地叫。
There were birds twittering in the eucalyptus trees.
Example Sentences for 喳 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
桉树上鸟儿在吱吱喳喳地叫。
ān shù shàng niǎo ér zài zhī zhī zhā zhā dì jiào。
There were birds twittering in the eucalyptus trees.
