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嚯 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
嚯huòa cracking or snapping sounde, 19 strokes, radical 口, rank #14782, Very Hard
嚯huò(onom.) expressing admiration or surpriseunknown, 19 strokes, radical 口, rank #14782, Very Hard
嚯huòsound of a laughunknown, 19 strokes, radical 口, rank #14782, Very Hard
huò(huo4) T4
  1. 1a cracking or snapping sound
  2. 2(onom.) expressing admiration or surprise
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

嚯huò(huo4)

The character 嚯 (huò) is an onomatopoeic term that mimics a cracking or snapping sound, often used to express admiration or surprise. It can also represent the sound of laughter in certain contexts, conveying a sense of enthusiasm or excitement.

Strokes19Radical口Frequency#14782DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, expressions of surprise or excitement are often conveyed through sound, making onomatopoeic words like 嚯 an integral part of storytelling and everyday dialogue. These sounds can enhance the emotional depth of conversations.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person snapping their fingers to grab your attention, saying 'huò!' The character 嚯 resembles a mouth (口) about to express a sound, combined with the radical for noise or action (口). Picture someone excitedly laughing out loud, emphasizing the joy of the moment.

Meanings of 嚯

huò(huo4)
1a cracking or snapping sound
2(onom.) expressing admiration or surprise
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 嚯

嚯Simplified
19Strokes
口Radical
叹词tàncíinterjection (interj.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 嚯

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Podcast: 嚯

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AI Study Notes for 嚯

Usage Notes

This character is informal and typically used in spoken language or casual writing. Learners should avoid using 嚯 in formal contexts or written essays. Be cautious with tones; incorrect pronunciation can lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

While 嚯 is not part of the HSK curriculum, it can enhance your understanding of expressive language at the higher levels. Focus on similar onomatopoeic words to enrich your vocabulary and grasp their usage in conversational Mandarin.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 嚯 with other similar-sounding words. For example, saying 'huò' in a flat tone instead of a rising tone can lead to miscommunication. Ensure to practice the correct intonation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 嚯

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Etymology of 嚯

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

mouth

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 嚯

  1. 1The meaning half口 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half霍 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 嚯? 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 嚯?

Decomposition of 嚯

IDS Structure⿰口霍
嚯Full Character
=
口kou3
left
霍Huo4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 嚯?

How to say a cracking or snapping sound in Chinese

“a cracking or snapping sound” in Chinese is嚯huò

The character 嚯 (huò) is an onomatopoeic term that mimics a cracking or snapping sound, often used to express admiration or surprise. It can also represent the sound of laughter in certain contexts, conveying a sense of enthusiasm or excitement.

When to use 嚯

This character is informal and typically used in spoken language or casual writing. Learners should avoid using 嚯 in formal contexts or written essays. Be cautious with tones; incorrect pronunciation can lead to misunderstandings.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 嚯 with other similar-sounding words. For example, saying 'huò' in a flat tone instead of a rising tone can lead to miscommunication. Ensure to practice the correct intonation.

Write 嚯

嚯

Practice writing 嚯 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 嚯

嚯 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 2

Complete the Sentence

你可真及时。____，真是好险呢！

You were just in time. Whew! What a close call.

Example Sentences for 嚯 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
你可真及时。嚯，真是好险呢！

nǐ kě zhēn jí shí。 。， huò ， zhēn shì hǎo！

You were just in time. Whew! What a close call.

Word Family of 嚯

Words Containing This Character1
嚯huòsound of a laugh
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 嚯 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 嚯

No, 嚯 is typically used in casual conversation and should be avoided in formal writing.

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