喳

chā, zhā
口 + 查

Definitions

zhā (verb) chirp; twitter
chā (onomatopoeia) sound of chattering

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 查 represents the sound.

Semantic: 口 Phonetic: 查

About

The character 喳 is a phono-semantic compound, combining the mouth radical 口 on the left and the character 查 on the right. The radical 口 signals a semantic connection to the mouth, speech, or sounds made by living things, while 查 is a phonetic component that indicates the pronunciation without adding to the meaning. Historically, this character has served as an onomatopoeic word for the high-pitched chirping or twittering of birds. It is also used for human sounds, representing low, hushed whispering or the quiet, continuous murmur of people talking together.

Example Sentences Hide

小鸟在叽叽喳喳地叫。

Xiǎo niǎo zài jī ji zhā zhā de jiào.

The little birds are chirping.

孩子们叽叽喳喳地说个不停。

Háizimen jī ji zhā zhā de shuō gè bù tíng.

The children are chattering nonstop。

窗外传来喜鹊喳喳的叫声。

Chuāng wài chuán lái xǐque zhā zhā de jiào shēng。

The magpie's chattering call came from outside the window。

别在这里喳喳呼呼的，请保持安静。

Bié zài zhèlǐ zhā zhā hū hū de, qǐng bǎochí ānjìng。

Don't be so noisy and loud here, please keep quiet。

麻雀在电线上喳喳地议论着什么。

Máquè zài diànxiàn shàng zhā zhā de yìlùn zhe shénme。

The sparrows are chattering about something on the power line。

一阵喳喳的鸟鸣打破了清晨的寂静。

Yī zhèn zhā zhā de niǎomíng dǎpò le qīngchén de jìjìng。

A burst of chirping birdsong broke the silence of the early morning。

人群里突然喳喳起来，好像发生了什么大事。

Rénqún lǐ tūrán zhā zhā qǐlái, hǎoxiàng fāshēng le shénme dà shì。

People in the crowd suddenly started buzzing and chattering, as if something big had happened。

他模仿着鸟叫，喳喳几声，居然引来了一只画眉。

Tā mófǎng zhe niǎo jiào， zhā zhā jǐ shēng， jūrán yǐn lái le yī zhī huàméi。

He mimicked a bird call， chirping a few times， and surprisingly attracted a thrush。

Related Characters

Component: 口

中 和 可 后 如 同 只 知 高 问 向 或 加 合

Component: 查

渣 碴 楂 馇 揸 猹 蹅 齄 嵖 餷

Example Words

喳喳 唧唧喳喳 叽叽喳喳