嗷嗷 (áo áo) — (onomatopoeia) sound of crying or wailing (of babies, animals); (figurative) loud clamoring or complaining

Definition

An onomatopoeia for a loud, sustained wail — the crying of a hungry baby or the howling of wolves. It can also be used figuratively for a group loudly complaining or demanding something.

onomatopoeia
sound of crying or wailing (of babies, animals)(figurative) loud clamoring or complaining

Examples

  • 嗷嗷。
    Hái zi è dé áo áo zhí kū.
    The child was so hungry it kept crying loudly.
  • 嗷嗷。
    Wài miàn chuán lái láng áo áo de jiào shēng.
    From outside came the howling of wolves.
  • 嗷嗷。
    Tā men áo áo dì hǎn zhe yào jiā xīn.
    They clamored loudly for a raise.

Origin

Reduplicated word
构词法gòucífǎ
重叠chóngdiéReduplication

A syllable said twice — for affection, for softness, or simply because that is how the word is said.

嗷áowail
嗷áowail

嗷 imitates a wailing sound; the doubled sound conveys loud crying or complaining.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 嗷 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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