Meanings of 嗦
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 嗦
Podcast: 嗦
Podcast: 嗦
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 嗦
吮 (shǔn) - use 嗦 for gentle sipping, while 吮 implies a more forceful sucking action.
Be mindful that 嗦 is more colloquial and may not be suitable for formal contexts. A common mistake is to confuse it with 吸 (xī), which also means 'to inhale' or 'to suck' but is more general. When using 嗦, it is often paired with words like '饮料' (yǐnliào, drink) or '奶茶' (nǎichá, milk tea).
While 嗦 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it can be related to other HSK Level 3 words that deal with eating and drinking, such as 吃 (chī, to eat) and 喝 (hē, to drink). Students should focus on pronunciation and familiarize themselves with related action verbs.
Learners often confuse 嗦 with 吸 (xī), resulting in incorrect usage like saying '我嗦空气' (wǒ suō kōngqì, 'I suck air'), which is wrong; it should be '我吸空气' (wǒ xī kōngqì). Additionally, some may use 嗦 in contexts that require a more formal tone, which is inappropriate.
Pronunciation of 嗦
Drill the tone of 嗦 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Etymology of 嗦
Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 索 represents the sound.
mouth
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 嗦
Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 索 represents the sound.
- 1The meaning half口 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half索 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaymouth
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 嗦? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 嗦?
Decomposition of 嗦
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 嗦?
How to say suck in Chinese
“suck” in Chinese is嗦
The character 嗦 (suō) primarily means 'to suck' or 'to sip.' It is commonly used in contexts related to consuming food or beverages, especially when describing the action of sucking liquid through a straw or similar device. The nuance often implies a gentle or leisurely action rather than a forceful one.
When to use 嗦
Be mindful that 嗦 is more colloquial and may not be suitable for formal contexts. A common mistake is to confuse it with 吸 (xī), which also means 'to inhale' or 'to suck' but is more general. When using 嗦, it is often paired with words like '饮料' (yǐnliào, drink) or '奶茶' (nǎichá, milk tea).
嗦 or something close to it
吮 (shǔn) - use 嗦 for gentle sipping, while 吮 implies a more forceful sucking action.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 嗦 with 吸 (xī), resulting in incorrect usage like saying '我嗦空气' (wǒ suō kōngqì, 'I suck air'), which is wrong; it should be '我吸空气' (wǒ xī kōngqì). Additionally, some may use 嗦 in contexts that require a more formal tone, which is inappropriate.
Write 嗦
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 嗦 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 嗦
嗦 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Complete the Sentence
他手指哆____着从口袋里取出相机.
With trembling fingers, he removed the camera from his pocket.
Example Sentences for 嗦 (5)
Word Family of 嗦
Compound Meaning
What does 罗嗦 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 嗦
No, 嗦 is considered informal and is typically used in spoken language or casual writing.
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 嗦?
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.