嘀 (dí) - Onomatopoeia for ticking, dripping, or beeping sounds & also used to describe whispering or murmuring.

嘀Tone 2

dí ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

嘀 · dí

Onomatopoeia for ticking, dripping, or beeping sounds;

also used to describe whispering or murmuring.

Onomatopoeia for ticking, dripping, or beeping soundsalso used to describe whispering or murmuring.

Usage highlights

TickBeep soundWhisper/murmurTaxi meterElectronic beepSecretly whisper

Synonyms

  • 嗒— tick/tock sound (often paired with 嘀)
  • 嘟— beep/buzzing sound

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The clock ticks (嘀嗒).
  • The scanner beeps (嘀的一声).
  • He whispered secretly (嘀嘀咕咕).
  • The taxi meter clicks (计价器嘀嘀响).

Collocations

  • Tick-tock(嘀嗒)
  • Beep sound(嘀声)
  • Whisper/murmur(嘀咕)
  • Taxi meter(嘀表)
  • Electronic beep(电子嘀声)
  • Secretly whisper(嘀嘀咕咕)

Idioms

  • Whispering and murmuring(嘀嘀咕咕)
  • Tick-tock sound(嘀嘀嗒嗒)
  • Beeping continuously(嘀嘀不停)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Primarily used as onomatopoeia for mechanical or electronic sounds in modern Chinese.
  • Often appears in contexts describing time passing (clocks) or electronic devices.
  • Can describe secretive or conspiratorial whispering in informal speech.

FAQ