What is the main usage of 吆?

吆 is primarily used for shouting or calling out loudly, especially in the context of street vendors hawking goods (吆喝) or herders urging animals.

Is 吆 commonly used in modern Chinese?

Yes, though mainly in specific contexts like street vending, market scenes, or rural settings. It's less common in formal writing.

What's the difference between 吆 and 喊?

While both mean to shout, 吆 often implies a specific purpose like selling goods or directing animals, whereas 喊 is more general shouting or calling out.

吆Tone 1

yāo ｜ 6 strokes ｜ radical: 口

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吆 · yāo

To shout;

to yell;

to call out loudly, especially in the context of hawking goods or urging animals.

To shoutto yellto call out loudly, especially in the context

Usage highlights

To shout/hollerTo hawk goodsTo urge animalsTo call out loudlyStreet hawker's cry

Synonyms

喊— to shout, to yell
叫— to call, to shout
呼— to call out

Antonyms

默— silent, quiet
静— quiet, still

Usage & contexts

Examples

The vendor was hawking his wares (吆喝).
He shouted to get the donkey moving (吆喝牲口).
Street hawkers often shout to attract customers (吆喝叫卖).

Collocations

To shout/holler(吆喝)
To hawk goods(吆卖)
To urge animals(吆牲口)
To call out loudly(吆喊)
Street hawker's cry(吆喝声)

Idioms

To shout and yell(吆五喝六)
Loud shouting and yelling(大吆小喝)

Cultural background

FAQ

Traditionally associated with street vendors and market traders calling out to attract customers.
Used in contexts of animal herding, particularly in rural settings to direct livestock.
Often appears in descriptions of traditional market scenes and street life.

吆 (yāo) - To shout & to yell