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咝 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
咝sīonomatopoetic, a hissing soundo, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #18085, Very Hard
咝sī(onom.) to hissunknown, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #18085, Very Hard
咝sīto whistleunknown, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #18085, Very Hard
咝sīto whizunknown, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #18085, Very Hard
咝sīto fizzunknown, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #18085, Very Hard
sī(si1) T1
  1. 1onomatopoetic, a hissing sound
  2. 2(onom.) to hiss
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

咝(噝)sī(si1)

The character 咝 (sī) represents an onomatopoetic sound, typically associated with hissing, whistling, or fizzing noises. It is often used in contexts where there is a sharp, sibilant sound, making it common in descriptions of animals or objects that create such sounds, like snakes or boiling liquids.

Strokes8Radical口Frequency#18085DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the sound of hissing can be associated with various animals, particularly snakes, which are significant in folklore and symbolism. The sound may evoke feelings of caution or fear, reflecting cultural attitudes towards snakes.

Memory Tip

Think of a snake (which often hisses) and imagine it as a 'sizzling' sound, almost like a 's' that is being drawn out, creating a hissing effect. The character 咝 combines the radical for mouth (口) with a phonetic component that evokes the sound itself.

Meanings of 咝

sī(si1)
1onomatopoetic, a hissing sound
2(onom.) to hiss
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 咝

咝Simplified
噝Traditional
8Strokes
口Radical
拟声词onomatopoeia (onom.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 咝

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AI Study Notes for 咝

Usage Notes

This character is informal and primarily used in descriptive writing or dialogue. Common mistakes include using it in formal contexts or mispronouncing it with a different tone. It often collocates with verbs like 'to make' (发) to describe the action of producing the sound.

HSK Study Tips

While 咝 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects well with other sound-related words at the same level. Focus on using it in descriptions of actions to enhance your vocabulary around sounds and actions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 咝 with similar-sounding characters like 思 (sī, to think) or 斯 (sī, this). A common mistake is saying 'sī' with an incorrect tone, which can change the meaning entirely.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 咝

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Etymology of 咝

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

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 丝 represents the sound. Simplified form of 噝.

Memory Hint

mouth

Semantic (meaning)口
+
Phonetic (sound)丝
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

咝 = 口 + 丝. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 咝

IDS Structure⿰口丝
咝Full Character
=
口kou3
left
丝si1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 咝?

How to say onomatopoetic, a hissing sound in Chinese

“onomatopoetic, a hissing sound” in Chinese is咝sī

The character 咝 (sī) represents an onomatopoetic sound, typically associated with hissing, whistling, or fizzing noises. It is often used in contexts where there is a sharp, sibilant sound, making it common in descriptions of animals or objects that create such sounds, like snakes or boiling liquids.

When to use 咝

This character is informal and primarily used in descriptive writing or dialogue. Common mistakes include using it in formal contexts or mispronouncing it with a different tone. It often collocates with verbs like 'to make' (发) to describe the action of producing the sound.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 咝 with similar-sounding characters like 思 (sī, to think) or 斯 (sī, this). A common mistake is saying 'sī' with an incorrect tone, which can change the meaning entirely.

Write 咝

咝

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

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Grammar Patterns of 咝

咝 functions as an onomatopoeic word — it imitates a sound. It often functions as an adverbial or stand-alone exclamation rather than a true verb or noun. It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

壶在火上____咝作响.

The kettle was singing on the fire.

Example Sentences for 咝 (2)

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1
壶在火上咝咝作响.

hú zài huǒ shàng sī sī zuò xiǎng.

The kettle was singing on the fire.
2
火腿在煎锅中咝咝作响.

huǒ tuǐ zài jiān guō zhōng sī sī zuò xiǎng.

The ham frizzled in the frying pan.
Exercise 1 of 1

Rebuild it

Rebuild it: “The kettle was singing on the fire.”

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Word Family of 咝

Words Containing This Character1
咝sīto whiz噝

Frequently Asked Questions about 咝

咝 (sī) is pronounced with a high flat tone, similar to the English 'see' but with a more pronounced 's' sound.

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