() - To whisper & to speak softly

Tone 4

qì | 9 strokes | radical:

·

To whisper;

to speak softly;

to slander or gossip secretly.

To whisperto speak softlyto slander or gossip secretly.

Usage highlights

To whisper privatelyTo chatter incessantlyTo slander secretlyTo report secretlySecret speechWhispering sound

Synonyms

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He whispered the secret (咠咠私语).
  • They were gossiping in the corner (咠咠不休).
  • The court official was accused of slander (以咠获罪).

Collocations

  • To whisper privately(咠咠私语)
  • To chatter incessantly(咠咠不休)
  • To slander secretly(阴咠)
  • To report secretly(咠告)
  • Secret speech(咠言)
  • Whispering sound(咠咠)

Idioms

  • Whispering privately(咠咠私语)
  • Chattering incessantly(咠咠不休)
  • Secret slander and gossip(阴咠流言)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In classical Chinese, 咠 often carried negative connotations of secret speech, gossip, or slander.
  • The character appears in historical texts describing court intrigues and secret accusations.
  • The reduplicated form 咠咠 describes the sound of whispering or murmuring.

FAQ