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喑 is a phono-semantic compound combining the semantic radical 口 (kǒu, 'mouth') on the left with the phonetic 音 (yīn, 'sound') on the right. It denotes being mute, speechless, or voiceless, whether caused by a physical ailment or by strong emotions like grief or fear. The meaning extends metaphorically to pervasive silence or the suppression of speech. This metaphorical sense is common in the compound 喑哑 (yīnyǎ), which can refer to someone who is hoarse and unable to speak clearly, or to a silent, muted environment devoid of sound.
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