Definitions

hōng (noun) roar of laughter; hubbub
hǒng (verb) to deceive; to coax
hòng (noun) uproar; commotion

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "哄" is structured with the mouth radical "口" on the left, signaling its association with verbal expression, and the component "共" on the right, which historically provides phonetic guidance while also implying a collective or shared action. Initially linked to sounds produced by groups, its early meanings centered on loud, chaotic noises or the uproar of a crowd, as seen in terms like "起哄". Over centuries, its semantic range broadened to include verbal deception, such as in "哄骗", where speech is used to mislead, and later took on a softer nuance referring to the act of coaxing or soothing someone, often a child, through gentle words. This progression from collective noise to individualized speech acts demonstrates how the character's core connection to vocal communication adapted to encompass both disruptive and persuasive human interactions.

Example Sentences Hide

妈妈孩子睡觉。

Māma hǒng háizi shuìjiào.

Mom coaxed the child to sleep.

爸爸女儿不要哭。

Bàba hǒng nǚ'ér bùyào kū.

Dad coaxed his daughter not to cry.

骗了我很久。

Tā hǒngpiànle wǒ hěn jiǔ.

He deceived me for a long time.

我用糖果小孩。

Wǒ yòng tángguǒ hǒng xiǎohái.

I used candy to coax the child.

她总是别人高兴。

Tā zǒngshì hǒng biérén gāoxìng.

She always coax others to be happy.

你不要骗我的朋友。

Nǐ bùyào hǒngpiàn wǒ de péngyou.

You should not deceive my friend.

着孩子把药吃了。

Tā hǒngzhe háizi bǎ yào chīle.

He coaxed the child into taking the medicine.

观众被他的笑话得大笑。

Guānzhòng bèi tā de xiàohua hǒng dé dàxiào.

The audience was made to laugh loudly by his joke.