unknown, 14 strokes, radical 口, rank #1322, Medium
嘘
xū
hush!
unknown, 14 strokes, radical 口, rank #1322, Medium
xū(xu1) T1
1to blow, to exhale, to hiss, to sigh; to praise
2to exhale slowly
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
嘘(噓)xū(xu1)
The character 嘘 (xū) primarily means to exhale, hiss, or express a quieting sound, often used to ask someone to be quiet. It can also convey a sense of admiration or praise in certain contexts, like when giving a gentle sigh of appreciation. This character is frequently encountered in informal settings.
Strokes14Radical口Frequency#1322DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, being quiet in certain social settings is highly valued, and the use of 嘘 reflects the importance of maintaining harmony and respect during gatherings. It embodies the cultural emphasis on collective behavior over individual expression.
Memory Tip
Imagine you're at a quiet gathering and someone whispers '嘘' (xū) to hush the crowd. The two dots on the top of the character can remind you of a person putting a finger to their lips to signal silence, while the mouth component (口) emphasizes the act of exhaling softly.
Meanings of 嘘
xū(xu1)
1to blow, to exhale, to hiss, to sigh; to praise
2to exhale slowly
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 嘘
嘘Simplified
噓Traditional
14Strokes
口Radical
叹词tàncíinterjection (interj.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 嘘
Podcast: 嘘
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 嘘
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 嘘 with similar-sounding words. Remember that 嘘 is informal and typically used in casual conversation or when asking for silence. It collocates with words like '安静' (ānjìng, quiet) and can be used in phrases like '嘘，安静点' (xū, ānjìng diǎn, hush, be quiet).
HSK Study Tips
Although 嘘 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, understanding it can enrich your conversational skills at HSK Level 2. Focus on its pronunciation and context, and try to use it when practicing phrases related to quietness or admiration.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 嘘 with the word '吁' (yū), which means to sigh loudly. For example, saying '我嘘了' (wǒ xū le) incorrectly suggests you exhaled loudly instead of softly asking for silence; it should be used in contexts of quieting someone.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 嘘
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 嘘 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
2The sound half虚 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 嘘? 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 嘘?
Decomposition of 嘘
IDS Structure⿰口虚
嘘Full Character
=
口kou3
left
虚xu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 嘘?
How to say to blow, to exhale, to hiss, to sigh; to praise in Chinese
“to blow, to exhale, to hiss, to sigh; to praise” in Chinese is嘘xū
The character 嘘 (xū) primarily means to exhale, hiss, or express a quieting sound, often used to ask someone to be quiet. It can also convey a sense of admiration or praise in certain contexts, like when giving a gentle sigh of appreciation. This character is frequently encountered in informal settings.
When to use 嘘
Learners often confuse 嘘 with similar-sounding words. Remember that 嘘 is informal and typically used in casual conversation or when asking for silence. It collocates with words like '安静' (ānjìng, quiet) and can be used in phrases like '嘘，安静点' (xū, ānjìng diǎn, hush, be quiet).
What learners get wrong
Learners sometimes confuse 嘘 with the word '吁' (yū), which means to sigh loudly. For example, saying '我嘘了' (wǒ xū le) incorrectly suggests you exhaled loudly instead of softly asking for silence; it should be used in contexts of quieting someone.
Write 嘘
嘘
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 嘘 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 嘘
嘘 functions as an interjection — a standalone exclamation. It typically opens the sentence (啊！哎呀！) and is set off by a pause or comma. It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
____！他来了。我一会儿再跟你说。
Shush! Here he comes. I'll talk to you later.
Example Sentences for 嘘 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
嘘！他来了。我一会儿再跟你说。
xū！ ！ tā lái。 le 。 wǒ yī huì ér zài gēn。
Shush! Here he comes. I'll talk to you later.
2
我真蠢，居然被他的胡乱吹嘘给蒙蔽了。
wǒ zhēn chǔn， ， jū rán bèi tā de hú luàn chuī xū gěi mēng bì。
I'd been a fool letting him snow me with his big ideas.
3
好莱坞的摄影师们有足够的理由可以自我吹嘘。
hǎo lái wù de shè yǐng shī mén yǒu zú gòu de lǐ yóu kě yǐ zì wǒ chuī xū。
Hollywood cameramen have good reason to blow their own trumpets.
4
他的坦白引起了人们嘲讽的嘘叫。
tā de tǎn bái yǐn qǐ le rén mén cháo fěng de xū jiào。
