哽咽 (gěngyè) refers to the act of choking up or being unable to speak clearly due to strong emotions, often sadness or grief. This word is commonly used to describe situations where someone is overwhelmed with feelings, making it difficult to communicate. It conveys a sense of emotional struggle and vulnerability.
HSK 7, 16 strokes, Hard
gěngyè(geng3ye4) T3
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May 27, 2026
哽咽gěngyè(geng3ye4)
哽咽 (gěngyè) refers to the act of choking up or being unable to speak clearly due to strong emotions, often sadness or grief. This word is commonly used to describe situations where someone is overwhelmed with feelings, making it difficult to communicate. It conveys a sense of emotional struggle and vulnerability.
Strokes16Frequency#—DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
哽咽 is often associated with significant life events in Chinese culture, such as funerals or emotional farewells, where expressing grief is common. This emotional expression is culturally nuanced, showing respect for the feelings involved.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person trying to speak but a large lump (the sound of 'gěng') is stuck in their throat, causing them to choke or sputter ('yè'). Visualize this person as they fight through tears, struggling to articulate their feelings, which helps connect the pronunciation with the meaning.
About 哽咽
哽咽Simplified
16Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 哽咽
Podcast: 哽咽
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AI Study Notes for 哽咽
Quick Contrast
哭 (kū, cry) — use 哽咽 when emphasizing emotional struggle that impairs speech, rather than simply expressing tears.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person trying to speak but a large lump (the sound of 'gěng') is stuck in their throat, causing them to choke or sputter ('yè'). Visualize this person as they fight through tears, struggling to articulate their feelings, which helps connect the pronunciation with the meaning.
Usage Notes
哽咽 is typically used in emotional contexts, so it's best reserved for serious conversations rather than casual chats. Be careful with pronunciation, as misplacing the tones can change the meaning entirely; 'gěng' (falling tone) is crucial. Common collocations include '哽咽着说' (choking up while speaking).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 7 word, learners should focus on using 哽咽 in emotional contexts, particularly in storytelling or expressing feelings. Connecting this word to other emotional vocabulary, such as '悲伤' (sadness) or '哭泣' (crying), can enhance understanding and usage.
Cultural Note
哽咽 is often associated with significant life events in Chinese culture, such as funerals or emotional farewells, where expressing grief is common. This emotional expression is culturally nuanced, showing respect for the feelings involved.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 哽咽 with similar words like '哭' (cry) or '哀伤' (sorrow), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我哽咽地哭了' is incorrect; instead, use '我哭得哽咽了' to maintain the correct structure.
AI-enhanced 2026-05-27
Pronunciation of 哽咽
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Cultural Notes for 哽咽
🏮Cultural insight
哽咽 is often associated with significant life events in Chinese culture, such as funerals or emotional farewells, where expressing grief is common. This emotional expression is culturally nuanced, showing respect for the feelings involved.
Frequently Asked Questions about 哽咽
Generally, 哽咽 is used in negative or sad contexts, as it describes emotional distress. For positive emotions, other words like '开心' (happy) are more appropriate.
Focus on the tones: 'gěng' should have a falling tone, while 'yè' has a rising tone. Practicing with native speakers can help.
No, while it often describes crying, it can also refer to any situation where someone struggles to speak due to overwhelming emotions.
