呃
è, e
The English word 'uh' can be expressed in Chinese using several different filler words such as 呃 (è, e). Wiktionary also lists 啊 (ā) and 那個 / 那个 (nàge, nèige).
Meaning: space filler or pause during conversation (intj)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 呃 | è, e |
| 啊 | ā |
| 那個 / 那个 | nàge, nèige |
| 這個 / 这个 | zhège, zhèige |
These terms are used as space fillers or to indicate a pause during conversation.
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between pure vocalizations and using actual words as fillers. 呃 is a pure vocalization of a pause, whereas 那個 (meaning 'that') and 這個 (meaning 'this') are actual words that speakers use as fillers during speech.
How do you pronounce it?
è, e
Did you know?
- The vocalization 呃 bears a distant linguistic relationship to the Zhuang word ngaek, which means 'to take advantage of someone'.
- The sound of the filler 呃 is often transcribed in Chinese literature to represent a person choking or coughing, rather than just a thoughtful pause.
- Chinese speakers may use 那個 to avoid saying a taboo word or a name they cannot remember, effectively using the filler as a 'placeholder' for a noun.
Examples in context
- 呃，我不知道怎么说。è, wǒ bù zhī dào zěn me shuō.Uh, I don't know how to say it.
- 呃，请等一下。è, qǐng děng yí xià.Uh, please wait a moment.
- 呃，那个不太对。è, nà ge bù tài duì.Uh, that's not quite right.
Example conversation
Junjie and Jiayi are trying to remember a specific movie title.
- 俊杰 Junjie呃，那个电影叫什么名字？è, nà ge diàn yǐng jiào shén me míng zi?Uh, what is the name of that movie?
- 佳怡 Jiayi呃，我想想。è, wǒ xiǎng xiǎng.Uh, let me think.
- 俊杰 Junjie是那个关于太空的吗？shì nà ge guān yú tài kōng de ma?Is it the one about space?
- 佳怡 Jiayi对，就是那个！duì, jiù shì nà ge!Yes, that's the one!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “uh” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 呃, 啊, CC BY-SA 4.0.
