哝 (nóng): (in 哝哝) to mutter; to mumble

Meanings

他们俩在角落里哝哝个不停。

Tāmen liǎ zài jiǎoluò lǐ nóngnong ge bùtíng.

The two of them kept muttering in a corner.

你哝哝什么？大声点。

Nǐ nóngnong shénme? Dàshēng diǎn.

What are you mumbling about? Speak up.

usage

A bound character used in the reduplicated 哝哝, which mimics low, indistinct muttering. It does not stand alone.

radical

口 kǒu

mouth

The mouth radical marks this as something done with the mouth, here low murmuring speech.

phonetic

农 nóng

farming; agriculture

Supplies the sound directly: 农 is read nóng, the same phonetic seen in 浓 and 脓.

哝 nóng