哽 (gěng) — to choke (on food); to be choked with emotion
Definition
Literary verb meaning 'to choke' — either physically on food, or, more often in writing, choking back tears/emotion so one cannot speak. Typically used in the pattern 哽住, paired with 说 or 哭.
verb
to choke (on food)to be choked with emotion
Easily confused
- 埂gěnglook-alikeridge between fields; long narrow mound
- 颈gěngsound-alikeneck (bound form, used in compounds like 脖颈子)
- 硬yìnglook-alike(adjective) hard, stiff, solid (physically)
- 梗gěnglook-alikestalk or stem (of a plant)
- 便biànlook-alikethen; in that case (indicating a natural consequence or immediate response)
Examples
- ，哽。Tā chī dé tài kuài le, yí xià gěng zhù le.He ate too fast and suddenly choked.
- ，哽。Tīng dào zhè ge huài xiāo xi, tā jī dòng dé gěng zhù le.Upon hearing this bad news, she was so choked with emotion that she couldn't speak.
- 哽。Tā gěng zhe shuō wán le zuì hòu yí jù huà.He finished the last sentence, his voice choked with emotion.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.