自语

自語

zìyǔ

verb #31,088

Meanings

1 to talk to oneself
2 to mutter to oneself

Characters

to speak; speech

Examples

HSK 1

他一个人坐在那里自语。

Tā yíge rén zuò zài nàlǐ zìyǔ.

He sat there alone, talking to himself.

HSK 7-9

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