嘶叫 (sī jiào) — to shout, to yell; to whinny, to neigh

Definition

Literary verb meaning 'to shriek or neigh' — the onomatopoeic 嘶 evokes a sharp, hoarse cry, used for human screams and horses whinnying, more vivid than ordinary 叫.

verb
to shoutto yellto whinnyto neigh

Examples

  • 嘶叫，。
    Tā fèn nù dì sī jiào zhe, shēng yīn chuán biàn le zhěng gè shān gǔ.
    He shouted angrily, his voice echoing throughout the valley.
  • 嘶叫，。
    Yuǎn chù de zhàn mǎ zài sī jiào, fǎng fú zài hū huàn zhǔ rén.
    The warhorses in the distance were neighing, as if calling for their masters.
  • ，嘶叫，。
    Shēn yè, xiàng zi lǐ chuán lái yí zhèn sī jiào, ràng rén máo gǔ sǒng rán.
    In the dead of night, a burst of shouting came from the alley, sending chills down one's spine.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

嘶sīneigh
叫jiàocall

嘶 and 叫 both refer to vocal sounds, forming a cry or neigh.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
斯
斯sī嘶sī
Same sound today

The shape of 嘶 puts 口 (mouth) next to 斯, which gives the sound.

Open 嘶 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
丩
丩jiū叫jiào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

叫 shows a mouth 口 and a sound part 丩. The mouth fits the old sense of shouting.

Open 叫 →

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