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Meaning Index

Chinese characters meaning "yawn"

Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "yawn", including 哈 (hā / hǎ), 欠 (qiàn). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…

How to Study This Meaning Group

The English word "yawn" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 哈 (hā / hǎ), 欠 (qiàn) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span hā, hǎ, qiàn — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 哈 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.

  • 哈 hā / hǎlaughter; yawn; a Pekinese; a pugUseful words: 哈哈, 公哈
  • 欠 qiàndeficient; owe; to lack; yawnUseful words: 拖欠, 欠缺

Common words for these 2 "yawn" characters

Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 哈 (hā / hǎ) — so "yawn" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.

See each character in a sentence

Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "yawn".

hā / hǎ — laughter; yawn; a Pekinese; a pug

听了他的话,大家哈哈大笑。Tīng le tā de huà, dà jiā hā hā dà xiào.Hearing his words, everyone burst out laughing.

Common words: 哈哈 (hā hā)、公哈 (gōng hā)、二哈 (èr hā)

qiàn — deficient; owe; to lack; yawn

借了别人的钱,要记得早点儿还,别老欠着。Jiè le bié ren de qián, yào jì de zǎo diǎnr huán, bié lǎo qiàn zhe.When you borrow money, remember to pay it back early; do not keep owing it.

Common words: 拖欠 (tuō qiàn)、欠缺 (qiàn quē)、欠条 (qiàn tiáo)

All 2 characters

Open 哈、欠 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.