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呣 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
呣ḿinterjection or exclamation indicating a questionzg, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #13324, Very Hard
呣ḿinterjection expressing a questionunknown, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #13324, Very Hard
呣ḿinterjection expressing consentunknown, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #13324, Very Hard
呣ḿumunknown, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #13324, Very Hard
呣minterjection or exclamation indicating a questionzg, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #13324, Very Hard
呣minterjection expressing a questionunknown, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #13324, Very Hard
呣minterjection expressing consentunknown, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #13324, Very Hard
呣mumunknown, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #13324, Very Hard
ḿ(m2)m
primary
T2
  1. 1interjection or exclamation indicating a question
  2. 2interjection expressing a question
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

呣ḿ(m2)

The character 呣 (ḿ) is an interjection used to express hesitation, consent, or to indicate a question, similar to 'um' in English. It often appears in conversational contexts, signaling that the speaker is thinking or unsure, or can also indicate agreement or acknowledgment in a casual manner.

Strokes8Radical口Frequency#13324DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the use of interjections like 呣 can reflect a person's thoughtfulness and politeness in conversation, as pausing to think is often seen as a sign of careful consideration rather than rudeness.

Memory tip

Imagine a person pondering a question, saying 'um' while scratching their head. The character 呣 resembles a person with a thought bubble above their head, pondering what to say next, hence the hesitation or inquiry it represents.

Meanings of 呣

ḿ(m2)
primary
1interjection or exclamation indicating a question
2interjection expressing a question
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 呣 means.

About 呣

呣Simplified
8Strokes
口Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 呣

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Podcast: 呣

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AI study notes for 呣

Usage Notes

While 呣 is informal and used in casual conversations, it should be avoided in formal speech or writing. Learners often confuse it with other similar-sounding interjections, so focus on using it in the right context to convey hesitation or agreement.

HSK Study Tips

Though not present in HSK levels, understanding 呣 can enhance conversational skills at any level. It connects well with other informal expressions like 嗯 (ng) and 啊 (a), which are also used in casual conversation.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 呣 in formal settings or written contexts, where it is inappropriate. For example, saying '我想呣这件事情' (I want um this matter) should be corrected to '我想考虑这件事情' (I want to consider this matter).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 呣

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Etymology of 呣

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

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 母 represents the sound.

Memory hint

mouth

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

Origin

呣 = 口 + 母. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 呣

IDS Structure⿰口母
呣Full character
=
口kou3
left
母mu3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 呣?

How to say interjection or exclamation indicating a question in Chinese

“interjection or exclamation indicating a question” in Chinese is呣ḿ

The character 呣 (ḿ) is an interjection used to express hesitation, consent, or to indicate a question, similar to 'um' in English. It often appears in conversational contexts, signaling that the speaker is thinking or unsure, or can also indicate agreement or acknowledgment in a casual manner.

When to use 呣

While 呣 is informal and used in casual conversations, it should be avoided in formal speech or writing. Learners often confuse it with other similar-sounding interjections, so focus on using it in the right context to convey hesitation or agreement.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 呣 in formal settings or written contexts, where it is inappropriate. For example, saying '我想呣这件事情' (I want um this matter) should be corrected to '我想考虑这件事情' (I want to consider this matter).

Write 呣

呣

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

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Word Family of 呣

Words containing this character1
呣ḿum

Frequently asked questions about 呣

Use 呣 when you want to indicate hesitation or when you're thinking about what to say next.

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