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哼 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
哼hēngto groanHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 口, rank #2007, Hard
哼hēngto snortHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 口, rank #2007, Hard
哼hēngto humHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 口, rank #2007, Hard
哼hēngto croonHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 口, rank #2007, Hard
哼hēnghumph!HSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 口, rank #2007, Hard
哼hēngto hum; to sing softly; to moan, to groanHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 口, rank #2007, Hard
hēng(heng1) T1
  1. 1to groan
  2. 2to snort
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
哼hēng(heng1)

The character 哼 (hēng) generally expresses a sound made to convey discontent, annoyance, or a lack of enthusiasm. It can also indicate a soft, melodic sound, akin to humming or crooning. This character is often used in informal contexts to reflect emotions non-verbally, such as frustration or indifference.

Strokes10Radical口Frequency#2007DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, non-verbal expressions like 哼 play a significant role in communication. The use of sounds to express feelings can convey more than words, reflecting the importance of emotional nuance in social interactions.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person who is feeling annoyed and lets out a soft 'hmm' sound. The character 哼 resembles a person with a furrowed brow (the upper part) and a pouting mouth (the lower part), illustrating that feeling of dissatisfaction while making a sound like 'hēng'.

Meanings of 哼

hēng(heng1)
1to groan
2to snort
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 哼

哼Simplified
10Strokes
口Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#2007Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 哼

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Podcast: 哼

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AI Study Notes for 哼

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person who is feeling annoyed and lets out a soft 'hmm' sound. The character 哼 resembles a person with a furrowed brow (the upper part) and a pouting mouth (the lower part), illustrating that feeling of dissatisfaction while making a sound like 'hēng'.

Usage Notes

While 哼 can be used informally among friends, it may come off as rude or dismissive in formal settings. Be cautious about using it in professional contexts. It often appears in phrases expressing annoyance, such as 哼哼 (hēnghēng), which emphasizes the sound.

HSK Study Tips

As a Level 6 word, 哼 connects with other emotional expression words like 哭 (kū, to cry) and 笑 (xiào, to laugh). Focus on the contexts in which this character is used to express subtle emotional undertones, enhancing your ability to convey feelings accurately.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, non-verbal expressions like 哼 play a significant role in communication. The use of sounds to express feelings can convey more than words, reflecting the importance of emotional nuance in social interactions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 哼 with 嗯 (ēn) and use them interchangeably; however, 哼 conveys a stronger emotion like frustration. For example, saying 哼 when you mean to express agreement is incorrect; use 嗯 instead.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 哼

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Etymology of 哼

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

mouth

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 哼?

Decomposition of 哼

IDS Structure⿰口亨
哼Full Character
=
口kou3
left
亨heng1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 哼?

Write 哼

哼

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

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Grammar Patterns of 哼

哼 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 6 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 5

Complete the Sentence

我对这条消息的总体反应可以用“____儿哈儿”来概括。

My general reaction to this news might be summed up as "ho-hum"

Example Sentences for 哼 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我对这条消息的总体反应可以用“哼儿哈儿”来概括。

wǒ duì zhè tiáo xiāo xī de zǒng tǐ fǎn yīng kě yǐ yòng“ “ hēng ér hā” ér ” lái。

My general reaction to this news might be summed up as "ho-hum"
2
贵重的展品，呃哼，丢失的话，会众人皆知。

guì zhòng de zhǎn pǐn， ， è， hēng ， diū shī， de huà ， huì zhòng。

It is not unknown for valuable display items to go, ahem, missing.
3
他脚下打着拍子，嘴里哼着调子，身子晃来晃去的。

tā jiǎo xià dǎ zháo pāi zǐ， ， zuǐ lǐ hēng zháo tiáo， zǐ ， shēn zǐ huǎng lái huǎng。

He tapped his feet, hummed tunes and jiggled about.
4
规矩点，否则的话，哼！

guī jǔ diǎn， ， fǒu zé de， huà！

Behave, or else!
5
那天晚上晚些时候，刘易斯开始哼唱另一首斯普林斯汀的歌曲。

nà tiān wǎn shàng wǎn xiē shí hòu， ， liú yì sī kāi shǐ hēng chàng lìng yī shǒu sī pǔ lín sī tīng de gē。

Later in the evening, Lewis began to croon another Springsteen song.
6
“报告，”他哼着鼻子说，“谁都会写。”

“ “ bào，” gào ，” tā hēng zháo bí，“ zǐ shuō ，“ shuí。”

"Reports," he snorted. "Anyone can write reports."
7
哼,谁信你的!

hēng, , shuí xìn nǐ!

Humph ! Who believes what you say?
8
马上老叉杆派人四处去找,哼, 一进树林, 她就在那儿挂着呢.

mǎ shàng lǎo chā gān pài rén sì chǔ qù zhǎo, ,, hēng , yī jìn, shù lín , tā jiù zài nà ér.

The moment they entered the wood , well, they saw her hanging there.
9
猪在院子里哼哼地叫个不停。

zhū zài yuàn zǐ lǐ hēng hēng dì jiào gè bù tíng。

Pigs were grunting and squealing in the yard.
10
七岁小孩儿吔,有点子聪明, 嗯哼? ”

qī suì xiǎo hái ér yē, , yǒu diǎn zǐ cōng, míng ,?”

Pretty smart for a nipper of seven, eh?'

Cultural Notes for 哼

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, non-verbal expressions like 哼 play a significant role in communication. The use of sounds to express feelings can convey more than words, reflecting the importance of emotional nuance in social interactions.

Word Family of 哼

Words Containing This Character7
哼hēngto groan
哼唱to hum
哼唧whisper
哼声hum哼聲
哼哼唧唧whining
气哼哼enraged氣哼哼
哼哧to puff hard (e.g. after running)
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 哼 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 哼

哼 (hēng) often conveys annoyance or discontent, while 嗯 (ēn) is more neutral, often used to indicate understanding or agreement.