唰
Character Story & Explanation
唰 is widely used in modern Chinese for vivid auditory description — especially in literature, film subtitles, and everyday speech. You’ll hear it in phrases like 唰的一声 (shuā de yī shēng, 'a swish!'), commonly describing fast movements: a curtain drawn, a knife swung, or even digital UI sounds (e.g., a phone screen swiping). It appears in popular children’s books and martial arts novels, but no classical idioms or fixed chengyu contain it — it’s a relatively modern onomatopoeic addition to written Chinese.
The character is not ancient: it does not appear in oracle bone or bronze inscriptions. Its form combines 口 (indicating sound) with 刷 (shuā, 'to brush') — reflecting its origin as a phonetic-semantic compound. The right side 刷 provides both pronunciation and the idea of rapid, repetitive motion — making 唰 a deliberate, post-classical creation for expressive sound depiction.
Hi students! Today we’re learning 唧 (shuā) — a fun, onomatopoeic character that mimics the quick, smooth sound of something moving swiftly through air or water: like a broom swishing across a floor, a sword slicing through wind, or rain sweeping sideways in a gust. It’s not a concept word like 'happiness' or 'time' — it’s all about sound and motion. Because it’s imitative, native speakers instantly 'feel' its rhythm when they read or hear it.
This character belongs to the 口 (kǒu, 'mouth') radical family — meaning it’s linked to speech, sound, or vocalization. That makes perfect sense: 唰 is first and foremost a *sound* you’d utter aloud — 'shwaa!' — to express sudden, fluid motion. Unlike abstract verbs, it rarely stands alone as a main verb; instead, it shines as an expressive adverb or verb complement (e.g., 唰地一声 — 'with a swish!').
Don’t worry about memorizing complex grammar rules yet — just focus on recognizing 唰 as the 'swish' sound in action scenes, children’s stories, or vivid descriptions. It appears often in spoken Mandarin and informal writing, but less frequently in formal texts or HSK exams. That said, understanding it boosts your listening comprehension and makes your own speech more colorful and native-like!
Example Sentences
Common Compounds
Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up
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