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嚨 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
嚨lóngthroatzg, 19 strokes, radical 口, rank #65334, Very Hard
lóng(long2) T2
  1. 1throat
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

嚨lóng(long2)

The character 嚨 (lóng) refers specifically to the throat, often in a biological or anatomical context. It can also imply the act of swallowing or the sound produced in the throat, which connects it to various expressions related to voice or speech.

Strokes19Radical口Frequency#65334DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the throat is seen as crucial for voice and health, often tied to concepts of qi (气) and its flow. Issues with the throat are commonly discussed in the context of overall well-being.

Memory Tip

Imagine a long throat that can echo sounds. The character 嚨 looks like a person (亻) in front of a grand throat (口) that swallows sounds whole, reminding you of the pronunciation 'lóng'.

Meanings of 嚨

lóng(long2)
1throat
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 嚨

嚨Simplified
19Strokes
口Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 嚨

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Podcast: 嚨

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AI Study Notes for 嚨

Usage Notes

Be aware that 嚨 is not commonly used in everyday conversation and may appear more in literature or medical contexts. In conversational Mandarin, people typically use 喉咙 (hóulóng) for 'throat'. Ensure you use the correct tones, as mispronunciation can lead to confusion with other words.

HSK Study Tips

While 嚨 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it relates to other medical or anatomical terms you may encounter at higher levels. Focus on understanding related terms like 喉 (hóu), which means 'throat' and is used more frequently.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 嚨 with 喉咙 (hóulóng) and use it incorrectly in casual settings. For example, saying '我喉咙痛' (I have a sore throat) is correct, while using 嚨 would sound overly formal or strange.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 嚨

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Etymology of 嚨

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

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 龙 represents the sound. Simplified form of 嚨.

Memory Hint

mouth

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 嚨

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 龙 represents the sound. Simplified form of 嚨.

  1. 1The meaning half口 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half龍 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 嚨? 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 嚨?

Decomposition of 嚨

IDS Structure⿰口龍
嚨Full Character
=
口kou3
left
龍long2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 嚨?

How to say throat in Chinese

“throat” in Chinese is嚨lóng

The character 嚨 (lóng) refers specifically to the throat, often in a biological or anatomical context. It can also imply the act of swallowing or the sound produced in the throat, which connects it to various expressions related to voice or speech.

When to use 嚨

Be aware that 嚨 is not commonly used in everyday conversation and may appear more in literature or medical contexts. In conversational Mandarin, people typically use 喉咙 (hóulóng) for 'throat'. Ensure you use the correct tones, as mispronunciation can lead to confusion with other words.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 嚨 with 喉咙 (hóulóng) and use it incorrectly in casual settings. For example, saying '我喉咙痛' (I have a sore throat) is correct, while using 嚨 would sound overly formal or strange.

Write 嚨

嚨

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 嚨

Words Containing This Character2
喉咙hóulóngthroat喉嚨
咙lóngthroat嚨
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 喉咙 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 嚨

No, 嚨 is more specialized and not frequently used in everyday language; instead, use 喉咙.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 嚨?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.