嗚 (wū) - To sob, cry, or wail & the sound of crying or mourning

嗚Tone 1

wū ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

万响

嗚 · wū

To sob, cry, or wail;

the sound of crying or mourning;

also used to express the sound of whistles, sirens, or horns.

To sob, cry, or wailthe sound of crying or mourningalso used to express the sound of whistles,

Usage highlights

To sobTo wail/crySiren wailingWhistle blowingWind howlingMournful cry

Synonyms

  • 哭— to cry, weep
  • 泣— to sob, weep silently
  • 嚎— to howl, wail loudly

Antonyms

  • 笑— to laugh, smile
  • 歡— joyful, happy

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The child began to cry (嗚嗚地哭).
  • We heard the siren wailing (警笛嗚嗚作響).
  • He sobbed uncontrollably at the funeral (在葬禮上嗚咽).
  • The strong wind made a howling sound (風聲嗚嗚).

Collocations

  • To sob(嗚咽)
  • To wail/cry(嗚嗚地哭)
  • Siren wailing(警笛嗚嗚)
  • Whistle blowing(汽笛嗚嗚)
  • Wind howling(風聲嗚嗚)
  • Mournful cry(悲嗚)

Idioms

  • Alas, alas, how sad!(嗚呼哀哉)
  • Alas for this!(嗚呼噫嘻)
  • To die(一命嗚呼)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often used in classical Chinese to express lamentation or grief, as in the exclamation 嗚呼.
  • In modern usage, frequently appears in onomatopoeic expressions for crying sounds or mechanical noises like sirens.
  • The character appears in funeral contexts and expressions of mourning.

FAQ