About
The character "呜" originates from an onomatopoeic basis, formed by combining the mouth radical with a phonetic component to imitate vocal sounds such as weeping or wailing. Its traditional form "嗚" retains the same oral indicator but incorporates the traditional character for crow on the right, which primarily serves a phonetic function. Historically, this graph was employed in classical interjections like "呜呼" to express lamentation or exclamation, anchoring its early meaning in auditory expressions of emotion. While its fundamental role as a sound-symbolizing character has remained consistent, its application has gradually expanded to mimic a broader range of noises, from human cries to the sounds of sirens or horns, reflecting a gradual semantic extension without a departure from its etymological core.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
火车呜呜地响。
小狗呜呜地叫。
风在窗外呜呜地吹。
他听到呜呜的警报声。
轮船的汽笛发出呜呜的长鸣。
远处的警车呜呜作响，越来越近。
每当夜深人静时，她总会想起那呜呜的哭声。
工厂的机器整天呜呜地运转，让人心烦意乱。