諵 (nán) - To mutter & to murmur

諵Tone 2

nán ｜ 16 strokes ｜ radical:

楠念

諵 · nán

To mutter;

to murmur;

to speak in a low, indistinct voice;

to talk to oneself.

To mutterto murmurto speak in a low, indistinct voice

Usage highlights

muttering to oneselfmurmuring prayersmurmuring soundmurmuring voicemurmuring incessantly

Synonyms

  • 喃— to murmur; to mutter
  • 叨咕— to mutter; to grumble
  • 嘀咕— to whisper; to mutter

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He muttered to himself while walking (諵諵自语).
  • The old monk murmured prayers (諵诵经文).
  • She was murmuring in her sleep (睡梦中諵諵).

Collocations

  • muttering to oneself(諵諵自语)
  • murmuring prayers(諵诵)
  • murmuring sound(諵諵声)
  • murmuring voice(諵諵之音)
  • murmuring incessantly(諵諵不休)

Idioms

  • Muttering incessantly(諵諵不休)
  • Muttering to oneself(諵諵自语)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often used in literary contexts to describe low, indistinct speech, such as self-talk or quiet chanting.
  • Commonly appears in Buddhist texts to describe the murmuring of sutras or prayers.
  • Can carry a connotation of being absorbed in one's own thoughts or spiritual practice.

FAQ