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嗯

Mandarin · pinyin ēn#

(a groaning sound)

Mandarin · pinyin èn#

(nonverbal grunt as interjection)
OK, yeah
what?

Mandarin · pinyin en#

interjection indicating approval, appreciation or agreement

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Characters in this entry

嗯: ǹg · en · final particle

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

1 · en1

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Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.

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1character link5same-tone records

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 5 senses · 4 Cantonese readings

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

ng2 · ng4 · ng5 · ng6

Cantonese word readings for 嗯. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

character

Used as an interjection to express doubt or curiosity.

character

Used as an interjection to express surprise.

character

Used as an interjection to express agreement or pledge.
(dialectal, Internet slang) alternative form of 硬 (yìng)

character

(onomatopoeia) A groaning sound.

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack