吭声

吭聲

kēngshēng

verb #28,811

Meanings

HSK 3

你怎么不吭声？是同意还是反对？

Nǐ zěnme bù kēngshēng? Shì tóngyì háishi fǎnduì?

Why don't you say anything? Do you agree or disagree?

HSK 5

他一句话也没吭声，默默地离开了。

Tā yījùhuà yě méi kēngshēng, mòmò de líkāi le.

He didn't utter a single word and left silently.

usage

吭声 is almost always used in the negative - 不吭声 or 没吭声 - meaning to stay silent. It implies deliberate silence rather than an inability to speak.

吭 kēng

声 shēng