嘶 (sī) - Neigh — the sound a horse makes & to whinny

嘶Tone 1

sī ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

树檀

嘶 · sī

Neigh — the sound a horse makes;

to whinny;

to hiss (like a snake);

to shout hoarsely;

to scream;

to make a sharp, high-pitched sound.

Neigh — the sound a horse makesto whinnyto hiss (like a snake)

Usage highlights

Horse neighingShout oneself hoarseExhaust one's strengthCicada chirpingHissing soundHoarse voice

Synonyms

  • 鸣— to cry (of birds, animals); to sound
  • 叫— to call; to shout; to cry out

Antonyms

  • 静— silent; quiet
  • 默— silent; mute

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The horse let out a loud neigh (马嘶).
  • He shouted himself hoarse (声嘶力竭).
  • The snake hissed in the grass (蛇嘶嘶作响).
  • The sound of cicadas in summer (蝉嘶).

Collocations

  • Horse neighing(马嘶)
  • Shout oneself hoarse(声嘶)
  • Exhaust one's strength(力竭声嘶)
  • Cicada chirping(蝉嘶)
  • Hissing sound(嘶嘶声)
  • Hoarse voice(嘶哑的声音)

Idioms

  • Shout oneself hoarse(声嘶力竭)
  • The old steed in the stable still aspires to gallop a thousand miles(老骥伏枥，志在千里；烈士暮年，壮心不已 - contains imagery of horse sounds)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often associated with horses in classical Chinese literature and poetry, evoking imagery of battlefields, travel, and the frontier.
  • Used to describe the sound of cicadas in summer, a common poetic motif symbolizing the intense heat or the passage of time.
  • The phrase '声嘶力竭' (shout oneself hoarse) is a common idiom describing extreme exertion in speech or argument.

FAQ