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噓 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
噓xūto blow, to exhale, to hiss, to sigh; to praisex, 15 strokes, radical 口, rank #35993, Very Hard
xū(xu1) T1
  1. 1to blow, to exhale, to hiss, to sigh; to praise
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

噓xū(xu1)

The character 噓 (xū) primarily means to blow or exhale softly, often producing a hissing sound. It is commonly used in contexts where one is asked to be quiet or to express a gentle reprimand, as well as in situations of praise or admiration, such as 'hissing' in approval.

Strokes15Radical口Frequency#35993DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the act of hushing someone is often associated with respect for quietness, especially in settings like libraries or during performances. The character captures the essence of maintaining silence in communal spaces.

Memory Tip

Imagine a quiet night where you want to make a soft sound to hush a friend. The sound 'xū' resembles the soft hissing of air escaping, similar to a gentle 'shh'. Visualize a snake hissing to convey silence or approval.

Meanings of 噓

xū(xu1)
1to blow, to exhale, to hiss, to sigh; to praise
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 噓

噓Simplified
15Strokes
口Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 噓

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Podcast: 噓

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AI Study Notes for 噓

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 噓 with similar-sounding characters or assume it can be used in more formal contexts. It is mainly informal and should be used in casual conversations. Common collocations include 噓声 (xū shēng - hush sound) and 噓赞 (xū zàn - to praise quietly).

HSK Study Tips

Although 噓 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with HSK Level 2 words related to actions and sounds. Students should focus on pronunciation and the subtle differences in usage compared to more formal expressions of admiration or reprimand.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse 噓 in formal settings, thinking it can replace more polite terms for asking someone to be quiet. For example, saying '噓' in a business meeting can be inappropriate; instead, use '请安静' (qǐng ān jìng - please be quiet).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 噓

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Etymology of 噓

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

mouth

Semantic (meaning)口
+
Phonetic (sound)虛
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 噓

  1. 1The meaning half口 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half虛 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymouth
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 噓? 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 噓?

Decomposition of 噓

IDS Structure⿰口虛
噓Full Character
=
口kou3
left
虛xu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 噓?

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噓xū

The character 噓 (xū) primarily means to blow or exhale softly, often producing a hissing sound. It is commonly used in contexts where one is asked to be quiet or to express a gentle reprimand, as well as in situations of praise or admiration, such as 'hissing' in approval.

When to use 噓

Learners often confuse 噓 with similar-sounding characters or assume it can be used in more formal contexts. It is mainly informal and should be used in casual conversations. Common collocations include 噓声 (xū shēng - hush sound) and 噓赞 (xū zàn - to praise quietly).

What learners get wrong

Learners often misuse 噓 in formal settings, thinking it can replace more polite terms for asking someone to be quiet. For example, saying '噓' in a business meeting can be inappropriate; instead, use '请安静' (qǐng ān jìng - please be quiet).

Write 噓

噓

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

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Word Family of 噓

Words Containing This Character8
嘘xūto hiss噓
吹嘘to brag吹噓
唏嘘to sob唏噓
嘘声hissing sound噓聲
嘘寒问暖to pamper噓寒問暖
嘘嘘to pee pee (kiddie or feminine slang)噓噓
自我吹嘘to blow one's own horn (idiom)自我吹噓
喘嘘嘘to puff and blow喘噓噓
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 嘘 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 噓

In social contexts, 噓 is often used to ask someone to be quiet, demonstrating a desire for calmness or attention.

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