哑 (yǎ) - mute, dumb & hoarse, husky
哑 · yǎ
mute, dumb;
hoarse, husky;
(of a gun, etc.
) silent;
(of jokes, etc.
) dull, not funny
mute, dumbhoarse, husky(of a gun, etc.) silent
Usage highlights
mute personhoarse voicedumb bellsign languagelose one's voicedull joke
Usage & contexts
Examples
- He was born mute (天生哑巴).
- She lost her voice and could only whisper hoarsely (嗓子哑了).
- The comedian's joke fell flat (这个笑话很哑).
- They communicated using sign language (哑语).
Collocations
- mute person(哑巴)
- hoarse voice(哑嗓子)
- dumb bell(哑铃)
- sign language(哑语)
- lose one's voice(哑了)
- dull joke(哑笑话)
Idioms
- Eat bitter hardship without complaint(哑巴吃黄连)
- Like a dumb person dreaming - unable to tell(哑子做梦)
- Pretend to be deaf and mute(装聋作哑)
Cultural background
FAQ- In traditional Chinese culture, being mute was often associated with misfortune or disability.
- The character appears in several idioms expressing frustration at being unable to speak or explain oneself.
- In modern contexts, it's used metaphorically for things that fail to make an impact or produce sound.