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嗌 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
嗌àithroat; to quarrel, to chokeg, 13 strokes, radical 口, rank #87069, Very Hard
ài(ai4) T4
  1. 1throat; to quarrel, to choke
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

嗌ài(ai4)

The character 嗌 (ài) primarily means 'throat' and can also refer to 'to quarrel' or 'to choke.' In terms of usage, it is often associated with the physical sensation of throat-related issues or conflicts, emphasizing a vocal aspect of quarrels. It is less commonly used in everyday conversation compared to other terms for 'throat.'

Strokes13Radical口Frequency#87069DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, throat health is significant, and various remedies are prescribed for throat ailments, reflecting the character's relevance in health discussions. Quarreling is often viewed negatively in Chinese culture, emphasizing harmony, so using this character in a quarrelsome context might carry a heavier connotation.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person trying to speak but feels a tightness in their throat, almost as if they are choking on their words. The character 嗌 looks like a throat (the left part suggests an opening), and the sound 'ài' can remind you of someone saying 'I' (as in 'I can't speak!') with a sore throat.

Meanings of 嗌

ài(ai4)
1throat; to quarrel, to choke
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 嗌

嗌Simplified
13Strokes
口Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 嗌

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Podcast: 嗌

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AI Study Notes for 嗌

Usage Notes

Be cautious when using 嗌 in conversation, as it is more formal and may not be widely understood in casual contexts. Common collocations include phrases related to throat ailments or arguments. Remember that the tone is important; ensure you pronounce it with the fourth tone (à) to convey the correct meaning.

HSK Study Tips

As 嗌 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, focus on its components and how they relate to other words about health or conflict. Studying related terms like 喉咙 (hóulóng, 'throat') can provide context for its usage.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 嗌 with 喉咙 (hóulóng) when referring to the throat. For instance, saying '我有嗌痛' (wǒ yǒu ài tòng) is incorrect; the correct phrase is '我有喉咙痛' (wǒ yǒu hóulóng tòng).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 嗌

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Etymology of 嗌

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

mouth

Semantic (meaning)口
+
Phonetic (sound)益
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 嗌

  1. 1The meaning half口 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half益 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymouth
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 嗌? 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 嗌?

Decomposition of 嗌

IDS Structure⿰口益
嗌Full Character
=
口kou3
left
益Yi4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 嗌?

How to say throat; to quarrel, to choke in Chinese

“throat; to quarrel, to choke” in Chinese is嗌ài

The character 嗌 (ài) primarily means 'throat' and can also refer to 'to quarrel' or 'to choke.' In terms of usage, it is often associated with the physical sensation of throat-related issues or conflicts, emphasizing a vocal aspect of quarrels. It is less commonly used in everyday conversation compared to other terms for 'throat.'

When to use 嗌

Be cautious when using 嗌 in conversation, as it is more formal and may not be widely understood in casual contexts. Common collocations include phrases related to throat ailments or arguments. Remember that the tone is important; ensure you pronounce it with the fourth tone (à) to convey the correct meaning.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 嗌 with 喉咙 (hóulóng) when referring to the throat. For instance, saying '我有嗌痛' (wǒ yǒu ài tòng) is incorrect; the correct phrase is '我有喉咙痛' (wǒ yǒu hóulóng tòng).

Write 嗌

嗌

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Frequently Asked Questions about 嗌

No, 嗌 is not frequently used in casual conversations; terms like 喉咙 (hóulóng) are more common for 'throat.'

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