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嘘 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
嘘
xū
to blow, to exhale, to hiss, to sigh; to praise
e, 14 strokes, radical 口, rank #1322, Medium
嘘
xū
to exhale slowly
unknown, 14 strokes, radical 口, rank #1322, Medium
嘘
xū
hush!
unknown, 14 strokes, radical 口, rank #1322, Medium
xū(xu1)xu T1
1to blow, to exhale, to hiss, to sigh; to praise
2to exhale slowly
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March 24, 2026
嘘(噓)xū(xu1)
The character 嘘 (xū) primarily means to exhale, hiss, or express a quieting sound, often used to ask someone to be quiet. It can also convey a sense of admiration or praise in certain contexts, like when giving a gentle sigh of appreciation. This character is frequently encountered in informal settings.
Strokes14Radical口Frequency#1322DifficultyMedium
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, being quiet in certain social settings is highly valued, and the use of 嘘 reflects the importance of maintaining harmony and respect during gatherings. It embodies the cultural emphasis on collective behavior over individual expression.
Memory tip
Imagine you're at a quiet gathering and someone whispers '嘘' (xū) to hush the crowd. The two dots on the top of the character can remind you of a person putting a finger to their lips to signal silence, while the mouth component (口) emphasizes the act of exhaling softly.
Meanings of 嘘
xū(xu1)
1to blow, to exhale, to hiss, to sigh; to praise
2to exhale slowly
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 嘘 means.
About 嘘
嘘Simplified
噓Traditional
14Strokes
口Radical
叹词tàncíinterjection (interj.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 嘘
Podcast: 嘘
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AI study notes for 嘘
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 嘘 with similar-sounding words. Remember that 嘘 is informal and typically used in casual conversation or when asking for silence. It collocates with words like '安静' (ānjìng, quiet) and can be used in phrases like '嘘，安静点' (xū, ānjìng diǎn, hush, be quiet).
HSK Study Tips
Although 嘘 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, understanding it can enrich your conversational skills at HSK Level 2. Focus on its pronunciation and context, and try to use it when practicing phrases related to quietness or admiration.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 嘘 with the word '吁' (yū), which means to sigh loudly. For example, saying '我嘘了' (wǒ xū le) incorrectly suggests you exhaled loudly instead of softly asking for silence; it should be used in contexts of quieting someone.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 嘘
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Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 嘘 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
嘘 = 口 + 虚. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 嘘
IDS Structure⿰口虚
嘘Full character
=
口kou3
left
虚xu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 嘘?
How to say to blow, to exhale, to hiss, to sigh; to praise in Chinese
“to blow, to exhale, to hiss, to sigh; to praise” in Chinese is嘘xū
The character 嘘 (xū) primarily means to exhale, hiss, or express a quieting sound, often used to ask someone to be quiet. It can also convey a sense of admiration or praise in certain contexts, like when giving a gentle sigh of appreciation. This character is frequently encountered in informal settings.
When to use 嘘
Learners often confuse 嘘 with similar-sounding words. Remember that 嘘 is informal and typically used in casual conversation or when asking for silence. It collocates with words like '安静' (ānjìng, quiet) and can be used in phrases like '嘘，安静点' (xū, ānjìng diǎn, hush, be quiet).
What learners get wrong
Learners sometimes confuse 嘘 with the word '吁' (yū), which means to sigh loudly. For example, saying '我嘘了' (wǒ xū le) incorrectly suggests you exhaled loudly instead of softly asking for silence; it should be used in contexts of quieting someone.
Write 嘘
嘘
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Practice writing 嘘 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 嘘
嘘 functions as an interjection — a standalone exclamation. It typically opens the sentence (啊！哎呀！) and is set off by a pause or comma. It carries 3 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.
____！他来了。我一会儿再跟你说。
Shush! Here he comes. I'll talk to you later.
Example sentences for 嘘 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
嘘！他来了。我一会儿再跟你说。
xū！ tā lái le。 wǒ yíhuìr zài gēn nǐ shuō。
Shush! Here he comes. I'll talk to you later.
2
我真蠢，居然被他的胡乱吹嘘给蒙蔽了。
wǒ zhēn chǔn， jūrán bèi tā de húluàn chuī xū gěi mēng bì le。
I'd been a fool letting him snow me with his big ideas.
3
好莱坞的摄影师们有足够的理由可以自我吹嘘。
hǎo lái wù de shèyǐngshī men yǒu zúgòu de lǐyóu kěyǐ zìwǒ chuī xū。
Hollywood cameramen have good reason to blow their own trumpets.
4
他的坦白引起了人们嘲讽的嘘叫。
tā de tǎnbái yǐnqǐ le rénmen cháo fěng de xū jiào。
