嚅

rú
口 + 需

Definitions

rú chattering

Etymology

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

Semantic: 口 Phonetic: 需

About

嚅 is a phonosemantic compound that expresses hesitant, indistinct speech, stammering, mumbling, or speaking in a faltering manner. The semantic component is the mouth radical 口 on the left, which signals that the character's meaning involves the mouth or vocalization. The right side, 需 (xū), is used exclusively for its phonetic value; its meaning 'need' plays no role here. This structure neatly ties the act of speaking to a specific sound. The character is most often found in literary compounds describing someone muttering under their breath, hesitating to speak, or nervously stammering, thereby capturing both the oral action and its hesitant quality.

Example Sentences Hide

他嗫嚅地说不出话。

Tā niè rú de shuō bù chū huà.

He mumbled and couldn't speak.

她总是嗫嚅地回答问题。

Tā zǒng shì niè rú de huí dá wèn tí.

She always answers questions hesitantly.

孩子在老师面前嗫嚅不语。

Háizi zài lǎoshī miànqián niè rú bù yǔ.

The child mumbled silently in front of the teacher.

他嗫嚅了半天才开口。

Tā niè rú le bàntiān cái kāikǒu.

He mumbled for a long time before speaking.

嗫嚅的声音几乎听不见。

Niè rú de shēngyīn jīhū tīng bù jiàn.

The mumbling voice was almost inaudible.

他嗫嚅着道歉，显得很羞愧。

Tā niè rú zhe dàoqiàn, xiǎn dé hěn xiūkuì.

He mumbled an apology, looking very ashamed.

在众人的注视下，他嗫嚅地解释着原因。

Zài zhòngrén de zhùshì xià, tā niè rú de jiěshì zhe yuányīn.

Under everyone's gaze, he hesitantly explained the reason.

尽管他嗫嚅不已，但最终还是表达了真实的想法。

Jǐnguǎn tā niè rú bùyǐ, dàn zuìzhōng hái shì biǎodá le zhēnshí de xiǎngfǎ.

Although he mumbled incessantly, he eventually expressed his true thoughts.

Related Characters

Component: 口

中 和 可 后 如 同 只 知 高 问 向 或 加 合

Component: 需

儒 懦 蠕 孺 糯 濡 繻 薷 襦 颥 臑 顬 壖 嬬

Example Words

嗫嚅