Definition
哄 (hǒng) has two related senses: 'to coax/soothe' (e.g., calming a child) and 'to kid/deceive' (a lighter, often playful deception). Unlike 劝 (quàn 'urge/persuade'), 哄 focuses on comforting or distracting rather than reasoning. For deception, 哄 is less serious than 欺骗 (qīpiàn 'cheat') or 蒙 (méng 'cover up/deceive').
verb
to coaxto sootheto kidto deceive
Easily confused
- 拱gǒnglook-aliketo arch (the back, a bridge, etc.)
- 红hóngsound-alikered (color)
- 供gōnglook-aliketo provide, to supply
- 轰hōngsound-alike(onomatopoeia) bang, boom, rumble (a loud explosive sound)
- 粪fènlook-alikemanure, dung
- 烘hōnglook-aliketo bake (using indirect heat)
- 巷xiànglook-alikelane, alley
- 共gònglook-alike(adverb) in total, altogether (used before a number to indicate the sum)
Examples
- 哄。Māma zài hǒng háizi shuìjiào.Mom is coaxing the child to sleep.
- 哄，。Nǐ bié hǒng wǒ le, wǒ zhīdào zhēnxiàng.Don't kid me — I know the truth.
- 哄。Tā hěn huì hǒng nǚpéngyou kāixīn.He is very good at cheering up his girlfriend.
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