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痖 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
痖yǎdumb, muteg, 11 strokes, radical 疒
痖yǎmute, incapable of speechunknown, 11 strokes, radical 疒
痖yǎsame as 啞|哑[ya3]unknown, 11 strokes, radical 疒
yǎ(ya3) T3
  1. 1dumb, mute
  2. 2mute, incapable of speech
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

痖(瘂)yǎ(ya3)

The character 痖 (yǎ) primarily means 'dumb' or 'mute,' referring to someone who is unable to speak. It is often used in more formal or literary contexts, and its usage can convey a sense of incapacity related to speech, distinguishing it from more casual terms for being silent.

Strokes11Radical疒
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, being mute or having speech difficulties is often linked to deep social implications, such as the challenges faced in communication and social integration. This character reflects historical views on speech and disability, linking to the importance of communication in Chinese society.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person with a sore throat (the radical 疒 indicates illness) who wants to speak but cannot—this visual helps connect the character's meaning of being unable to speak with the pronunciation 'yǎ'. Picture them in a silent room, yearning to express themselves but restrained by their affliction.

Meanings of 痖

yǎ(ya3)
1dumb, mute
2mute, incapable of speech
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 痖

痖Simplified
瘂Traditional
11Strokes
疒Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 痖

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Podcast: 痖

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AI Study Notes for 痖

Usage Notes

While 痖 is synonymous with 啞 (yǎ), it is less commonly used in everyday conversation, which can lead to confusion. Learners might mistakenly use it in informal contexts; thus, it's best reserved for literary or formal settings. Note that it is pronounced with a falling tone, which can be tricky for learners.

HSK Study Tips

Although 痖 is not part of the HSK vocabulary lists, its connection to 啞 (which is at HSK 3) can help learners understand nuances of mute-related vocabulary. Focus on recognizing its formal usage and differentiating it from more casual terms.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 痖 with the more common 啞. For example, using 痖 in casual conversation might sound overly formal. It's best to use 啞 in daily interactions.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 痖

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Etymology of 痖

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

sickness

Semantic (meaning)疒
+
Phonetic (sound)亚
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 痖

  1. 1The meaning half疒 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half亚 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaysickness
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 痖? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 痖?

Decomposition of 痖

IDS Structure⿸疒亚
痖Full Character
=
疒ne4
enclosing
亚ya4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 痖?

How to say dumb, mute in Chinese

“dumb, mute” in Chinese is痖yǎ

The character 痖 (yǎ) primarily means 'dumb' or 'mute,' referring to someone who is unable to speak. It is often used in more formal or literary contexts, and its usage can convey a sense of incapacity related to speech, distinguishing it from more casual terms for being silent.

When to use 痖

While 痖 is synonymous with 啞 (yǎ), it is less commonly used in everyday conversation, which can lead to confusion. Learners might mistakenly use it in informal contexts; thus, it's best reserved for literary or formal settings. Note that it is pronounced with a falling tone, which can be tricky for learners.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 痖 with the more common 啞. For example, using 痖 in casual conversation might sound overly formal. It's best to use 啞 in daily interactions.

Write 痖

痖

Practice writing 痖 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 痖

Words Containing This Character1
痖yǎsame as 啞|哑[yǎ]瘂
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 痖 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 痖

No, 痖 is more formal and is not commonly used in everyday speech. Instead, 啞 (yǎ) is preferred.

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