自语

自語

zìyǔ

verb #31,088

Meanings

1 to talk to oneself
2 to mutter to oneself

Characters

to speak; speech

Examples

他一个人坐在那里自语。

Tā yí ge rén zuò zài nàlǐ zìyǔ.

He sat there alone, talking to himself.

她常常喃喃自语。

Tā chángcháng nánnán zìyǔ.

She often mutters to herself.

Tips

usage

Almost always seen in the chengyu-like collocation 自言自语 ('talk-self talk-self', the standard four-character form) or 喃喃自语 ('mutter to oneself'). Bare 自语 alone is more literary/written; speech overwhelmingly prefers the four-character versions.

Stroke Order

自 zì

语 yǔ