嘘
xū
The English phrase "shh" is expressed in Chinese as 嘘 (xū).
嘘 is an onomatopoeic interjection used to signal someone to be quiet.
Meaning: requesting silence (intj)
How do you pronounce it?
xū
Did you know?
- While 嘘 is used for silence in most contexts, in modern Chinese sports culture, it is used by crowds to 'boo' a player or referee by shouting 嘘 loudly.
- Unlike the English 'shh', which is often used to soothe babies, using 嘘 too sharply in Chinese can sometimes be perceived as more dismissive or rude depending on the tone.
- In certain ancient contexts, the character used for this sound was related to the concept of 'emptiness' or 'void', which is reflected in its original component.
Examples in context
- 嘘，太大声啦。Shh, you're speaking too loudly.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of 嘘 when someone is being too loud.Tatoeba #8734942 by crescat, translation #328571 by fcbond
- 在会议期间，请大家保持安静。During the meeting, please keep quiet.
- 嘘！图书馆里要安静。Shh! We should be quiet in the library.
- 别说话！我们要看电影了。Don't speak! We're starting the movie.
- 嘘，宝宝在睡觉。Xū, bǎobao zài shuìjiào.Shh, the baby is sleeping.
- 嘘，别说话。Xū, bié shuōhuà.Shh, don't talk.
Example conversation
Junjie and Jiayi are in a library trying to study quietly.
- 俊杰 Junjie佳怡，你太吵了。Jiāyí, nǐ tài chǎo le.Jiayi, you are too noisy.
- 佳怡 Jiayi对不起，我没注意到。Duìbuqǐ, wǒ méi zhùyì dào.Sorry, I didn't notice.
- 俊杰 Junjie嘘，这里要安静。Xū, zhèlǐ yào ānjìng.Shh, it needs to be quiet here.
- 佳怡 Jiayi好，我会小声点。Hǎo, wǒ huì xiǎoshēng diǎn.Okay, I will be quieter.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 嘘, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
