About
The character "喃" is structurally composed of the mouth radical (口) on the left, which semantically indicates its association with speech or sound, combined with "南" on the right, which primarily serves as a phonetic component suggesting its pronunciation. Its core etymological function has consistently been to represent soft, repetitive, or indistinct vocalizations rather than clear speech. This is evident in its classical use as a descriptive term for muttering or whispering, often seen in the reduplicated form "喃喃", which evokes a continuous, low sound of private speech or complaint. Over time, its application became more specific, frequently appearing in Buddhist contexts to describe the low, continuous chanting of sutras, and later in broader literary use to depict murmuring, mumbling, or the incomprehensible speech of someone talking to themselves.
Example Sentences Hide
燕子呢喃飞过。
他在梦中低声呢喃。
她听着母亲的温柔呢喃。
春风里充满了呢喃的鸟语。
老人独自在树下喃喃自语。
他喃喃地重复着那几个字。
这本小说描写了南亚的喃字文化。
佛殿中回荡着诵经的梵呗呢喃。