About
嘿 is a phono-semantic compound: the mouth radical 口 on the left indicates an association with vocal sounds, while the component 黑 on the right provides the pronunciation. It primarily serves as an interjection comparable to English "hey", used to call attention, express mild surprise, or indicate a laugh or chuckle. The character also carries a contrasting meaning of "quiet" or "silent", appearing in compounds that denote speechlessness or keeping a secret, thus embodying a duality between expressive sound and its absence.
Example Sentences Hide
嘿,快来看看!
嘿,你在干什么?
嘿,别那么大声!
他嘿嘿地笑了。
嘿,这件事真奇怪!
我嘿了一声打招呼。
他嘿嘿笑着不说话。
嘿,你听说过那个新闻吗?
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