adjective / verb HSK 5
noisy · clamorous · to make noise
Meaning
喧 describes loud, chaotic noise or a noisy, boisterous atmosphere. It typically refers to the sound of many people talking, shouting, or creating a disturbance. The character evokes a sense of disorder and commotion rather than pleasant sounds.
Usage
喧 is mostly used in written or formal contexts. In everyday speech, it appears primarily in fixed expressions like 喧哗 (xuānhuá, 'to make a racket') or 喧闹 (xuānnào, 'noisy and busy'). Native speakers rarely use 喧 alone in casual conversation, preferring compound words.
Examples
- 01城市的喧嚣让他感到疲惫。.The noise and bustle of the city made him feel exhausted.
- 02请保持安静，不要喧哗。, .Please keep quiet and don't make noise.
Common collocations
- 喧宾夺主the guest overshadows the host (idiom)
- 喧嚣hubbub, clamor
- 喧腾to clamor, to make a commotion
Antonyms
Origin
The character 喧 combines the mouth radical 口 (kǒu) with 宣 (xuān, meaning 'to proclaim' or 'to spread'), suggesting the idea of many mouths speaking loudly or proclaiming simultaneously, creating noise.