哼 (hēng) - To hum & to snort

哼Tone 1

hēng ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

哼 · hēng

To hum;

to snort;

to groan;

an interjection expressing dissatisfaction or contempt.

To humto snortto groan

Usage highlights

Hum a songSnort coldlyGroan in painHum and hawSnort with contemptHum a melody

Synonyms

  • 吟— to chant, recite
  • 呻— to groan, moan

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He hummed a tune (哼着歌).
  • She snorted in disbelief (哼了一声).
  • The patient groaned in pain (痛苦地呻吟).
  • He just went 'hmph' and walked away (哼了一声就走开了).

Collocations

  • Hum a song(哼歌)
  • Snort coldly(冷哼)
  • Groan in pain(呻吟)
  • Hum and haw(哼哼唧唧)
  • Snort with contempt(轻蔑地哼)
  • Hum a melody(哼曲子)

Idioms

  • Humming and hawing(哼哼唧唧)
  • Groaning and moaning(哼哼呀呀)
  • Snorting with disdain(嗤之以鼻)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often used as an onomatopoeic interjection to express dissatisfaction, contempt, or dismissal in Chinese conversation.
  • The humming sense reflects the character's use in describing casual, often absent-minded vocalization of melodies.
  • In literary contexts, it can convey characters' emotional states through simple vocalizations.

FAQ