Meaning
嘟囔 describes the act of speaking in a low, unclear voice, often to oneself or in complaint. It conveys speaking quietly and indistinctly, typically when someone is dissatisfied, complaining, or talking under their breath. The word often carries a slightly negative connotation of grumbling or muttering discontent.
Usage
Commonly used in informal contexts to describe someone complaining quietly or speaking unclearly. Often appears in narrative writing to describe a character's manner of speaking. Can be used both transitively (嘟囔几句话) or intransitively (他在那儿嘟囔). Typically implies the speaker doesn't want others to hear clearly or is expressing mild dissatisfaction.
Examples
- 01他嘟囔了几句，我没听清楚他说什么。, .He muttered a few words, and I didn't hear clearly what he said.
- 02老人一边走一边嘟囔着抱怨天气太热。.The old man walked along while muttering complaints about the weather being too hot.
Characters
Common collocations
- 嘟囔几句to mutter a few words
- 小声嘟囔to mutter quietly
- 嘟囔着说to say while muttering
- 在那儿嘟囔to mutter over there
Antonyms
Origin
Both characters relate to mouth/speech radicals (口). The word is onomatopoetic in nature, mimicking the indistinct sound of muttering or mumbling.