啼 (tí) — to cry, to weep aloud
Definition
啼 is a literary/formal verb meaning 'to cry aloud,' used for people weeping or birds calling — mostly in writing or set phrases like 啼哭 and 啼鸣, not everyday speech.
verb
to cryto weep aloud
Easily confused
Examples
- 啼。Yīng ér zài yè lǐ bù tíng dì tí kū.The baby cried incessantly in the night.
- 啼。Tā tīng dào yuǎn chù chuán lái niǎo de tí jiào shēng.He heard the chirping of birds coming from afar.
- 啼。Tā shāng xīn dì tí qì zhe.She wept sorrowfully.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
啼 combines 口, a mouth, with 帝, which gives the sound; the mouth part fits the meaning of crying aloud.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.