嗯
èn/ŋ̍³⁵/
The Chinese equivalent of the English filler "uhm" is 嗯 (èn).
嗯 is a filler sound used to indicate hesitation or to pause while thinking of what to say next. It functions similarly to the English sounds "Mm" or "Mhm".
Which one should you use?
In English, "uhm" is often a low-pitched filler. In Chinese, the pitch of 嗯 changes its meaning: a rising or high tone indicates that the speaker is thinking, while a low, falling tone is used to indicate agreement.
How does it change in a sentence?
In written Chinese, such as in text messaging, you will often see 嗯… with an ellipsis to visually represent the sound trailing off or indicating hesitation.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is èn. The IPA is /ŋ̍³⁵/.
Did you know?
- In digital communication, repeating the character 嗯 several times, such as 嗯嗯, transforms it from a hesitant 'uhm' into an enthusiastic 'yes' or 'I agree'.
- While 嗯 can mean 'yes' in many contexts, using it as a sole response to a superior or elder can be perceived as curt or disrespectful in traditional Chinese culture.
- The character 嗯 is a phono-semantic compound consisting of the 'mouth' radical 口 and the character 恩, which means 'grace' or 'kindness'.
Examples in context
- 我正在考虑… 嗯… 下个月去旅行。I am considering… uhm… traveling next month.
- 嗯，我想想。Èn, wǒ xiǎng xiang.Uhm, let me think.
- 嗯，我不确定。Èn, wǒ bù quèdìng.Uhm, I'm not sure.
- 嗯，也许吧。Èn, yěxǔ ba.Uhm, maybe.
Example conversation
Two friends are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- 伟 Wei佳怡，你想吃什么？Jiāyí, nǐ xiǎng chī shénme?Jiayi, what do you want to eat?
- 佳怡 Jiayi嗯，我想吃面条。en, wǒ xiǎng chī miàntiáo.Uhm, I want to eat noodles.
- 伟 Wei附近有家面馆很出名。fùjìn yǒu jiā miànguǎn hěn chūmíng.There is a famous noodle shop nearby.
- 佳怡 Jiayi太好了，我们走吧！tài hǎo le, wǒmen zǒu ba!Great, let's go!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 嗯, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 嗯, CC BY-SA 4.0.
