Skip to content
Begin learning Chinese at your own paceStart learning
囔 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
囔nāngto mumble, to mutterv, 25 strokes, radical 口, rank #79738, Very Hard
囔nāngmuttering, indistinct speechunknown, 25 strokes, radical 口, rank #79738, Very Hard
nāng(nang1)nang T1
  1. 1to mumble, to mutter
  2. 2muttering, indistinct speech
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

囔nāng(nang1)

The character 囔 (nāng) refers to the act of mumbling or muttering, often implying indistinct or unclear speech. It is commonly used to describe when someone speaks in a low voice, making it difficult for others to understand what is being said, often due to shyness or distraction.

Strokes25Radical口Frequency#79738DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, muttering can be associated with humility or reluctance to speak up, reflecting a value placed on modesty in social interactions. This behavior might be seen in traditional settings where respect and politeness are highly regarded.

Memory tip

Think of a person with a mouth full of food, trying to speak clearly but only managing to produce mumbled sounds. The outer structure of the character (囗) resembles a mouth, while the inner part (囔) suggests the jumbled sounds coming out—a vivid picture of indistinct speech.

Meanings of 囔

nāng(nang1)
1to mumble, to mutter
2muttering, indistinct speech
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 囔 means.

About 囔

囔Simplified
25Strokes
口Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 囔

JasonAmy

Podcast: 囔

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 囔

Quick Contrast

喃 (nán) - use 囔 (nāng) for indistinct mumbling, while 喃 (nán) often refers to a soft, murmuring voice, typically with a more affectionate or soothing connotation.

Usage Notes

When using 囔, be cautious about its register; it tends to be informal and may not be suitable for formal contexts. It is often used in conjunction with other words to describe specific situations, such as '低声囔囔' (muttering softly). Watch out for tone mistakes, as mispronouncing the first tone can change the meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Although 囔 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it shares similarities with other expressions related to speech, such as 说 (shuō, to speak) and 咕 (gū, to mutter). Focus on recognizing the character's usage in context, especially in dialogues about communication.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 囔 with other speech-related verbs like 说 (shuō) or 咕 (gū). For example, saying '我在说你' (wǒ zài shuō nǐ) instead of '我在囔你' (wǒ zài nāng nǐ) misses the nuance of mumbling.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 囔

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 囔 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 囔 to You

Let me explain 囔 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 囔 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

How Well Do You Know 囔?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 囔 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.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 囔

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

mouth

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

Origin

囔 = 口 + 囊. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 囔

IDS Structure⿰口囊
囔Full character
=
口kou3
left
囊nang2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 囔?

How to say to mumble, to mutter in Chinese

“to mumble, to mutter” in Chinese is囔nāng

The character 囔 (nāng) refers to the act of mumbling or muttering, often implying indistinct or unclear speech. It is commonly used to describe when someone speaks in a low voice, making it difficult for others to understand what is being said, often due to shyness or distraction.

When to use 囔

When using 囔, be cautious about its register; it tends to be informal and may not be suitable for formal contexts. It is often used in conjunction with other words to describe specific situations, such as '低声囔囔' (muttering softly). Watch out for tone mistakes, as mispronouncing the first tone can change the meaning.

囔 or something close to it

喃 (nán) - use 囔 (nāng) for indistinct mumbling, while 喃 (nán) often refers to a soft, murmuring voice, typically with a more affectionate or soothing connotation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 囔 with other speech-related verbs like 说 (shuō) or 咕 (gū). For example, saying '我在说你' (wǒ zài shuō nǐ) instead of '我在囔你' (wǒ zài nāng nǐ) misses the nuance of mumbling.

Write 囔

囔

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Ask Jason

Have a question about 囔?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

Word Family of 囔

Words containing this character3
嘟囔to mumble to oneself
囔囔to murmur
囔nāngmuttering, indistinct speech
Exercise 1 of 2

Words with 囔

What does 嘟囔 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 囔

While 说 (shuō) means 'to speak' in a general sense, 囔 (nāng) specifically refers to mumbling or indistinct speech.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 囔?

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.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab