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歔 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
歔xūto snort, to blow through the nosezg, 16 strokes, radical 欠
xū(xu1)xu T1
  1. 1to snort, to blow through the nose
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March 24, 2026

歔xū(xu1)

The character 歔 (xū) refers to the action of snorting or blowing air through the nose, often accompanied by a sound. It is commonly used in contexts related to breathing or expressing emotions such as disdain or irritation. While not frequently used in everyday conversation, it can appear in literary or poetic contexts to evoke specific feelings or imagery.

Strokes16Radical欠
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese poetry, the act of snorting or blowing through the nose can symbolize disdain or a lack of concern, often used to convey a character's feelings. This reflects the importance of subtle emotional expression in Chinese literature.

Memory tip

Imagine a pig that snorts loudly as it blows air through its nose. The character 歔 looks like a person with a large nose (the radical '止' at the bottom) making a big, noisy exhale. The 'xū' sound can remind you of the sound a pig makes, reinforcing the idea of snorting.

Meanings of 歔

xū(xu1)
1to snort, to blow through the nose
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 歔

歔Simplified
16Strokes
欠Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 歔

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AI study notes for 歔

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 歔 with similar-sounding characters; ensure you distinguish it by focusing on its specific meaning related to snorting. This character is more formal and literary, so it's less common in casual speech. Be mindful of the pronunciation, as misplacing the tone can alter its meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Although 歔 is not included in HSK levels, it serves as an interesting vocabulary addition for advanced learners. Students should focus on understanding its usage in literary texts, connecting it with other characters related to sounds and emotions.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse 歔 with 吸 (xī), which means 'to inhale.' An incorrect example would be using 歔 when describing taking a deep breath in; the correct character would be 吸.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 歔

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Etymology of 歔

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

breathe

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

Origin

歔 = 欠 + 虚. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 歔

IDS Structure⿰虚欠
歔Full character
=
虚xu1
left
欠qian4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 歔?

How to say to snort, to blow through the nose in Chinese

“to snort, to blow through the nose” in Chinese is歔xū

The character 歔 (xū) refers to the action of snorting or blowing air through the nose, often accompanied by a sound. It is commonly used in contexts related to breathing or expressing emotions such as disdain or irritation. While not frequently used in everyday conversation, it can appear in literary or poetic contexts to evoke specific feelings or imagery.

When to use 歔

Learners often confuse 歔 with similar-sounding characters; ensure you distinguish it by focusing on its specific meaning related to snorting. This character is more formal and literary, so it's less common in casual speech. Be mindful of the pronunciation, as misplacing the tone can alter its meaning.

What learners get wrong

Learners sometimes confuse 歔 with 吸 (xī), which means 'to inhale.' An incorrect example would be using 歔 when describing taking a deep breath in; the correct character would be 吸.

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歔

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Word Family of 歔

Words containing this character1
歔xūto snort

Frequently asked questions about 歔

Words like 吸 (xī) for 'inhale' or 嗤 (chī) for 'scoff' carry similar meanings related to breath and sound.

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