呐喊

• Pinyin: nà hǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 呐 = 口(mouth) + 内(inner) — a sound erupting from within; 喊 = 口(mouth) + 咸(all/encompassing, phonetic) — a loud, all-encompassing shout

Meaning

To shout loudly; to cry out in support or defiance; a rallying cry or battle shout.

Used for collective shouts of encouragement or protest, or individual cries of emotion. Also the title of Lu Xun's famous short story collection 呐喊, which gave the word deep literary resonance in Chinese culture. Often appears in political, sporting, and literary contexts.

Examples

1. 看台上的观众纷纷起身呐喊，为在最后一刻绝杀的主队球员振臂欢呼。 Spectators in the stands stood up and shouted, pumping their fists and cheering for the home player who hit the game-winner at the last second.
2. 鲁迅的呐喊以振聋发聩的笔触唤醒了一代中国知识分子对社会现实的深刻反思。 Lu Xun’s 'A Call to Arms' used a powerful, wake-up-call style to rouse a generation of Chinese intellectuals to reflect deeply on social reality.
3. 街头的抗议者高举标语、齐声呐喊，表达对不公正政策的强烈不满与抗议。 Protesters in the street held up signs and shouted in unison, expressing strong dissatisfaction and opposition to unjust policies.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, literature, politics, protest

Tone: passionate/intense

Do Say

• 赛场上，教练和队友的呐喊给了运动员在关键时刻超越极限的勇气与力量。(On the field, the rallying cries from the coach and teammates gave the athlete courage and strength to surpass limits at the critical moment.)
• 这首歌像是一声震耳欲聋的呐喊，迅速引发了年轻一代对社会公正问题的广泛共鸣。(This song was like a thunderous shout, quickly resonating widely among a younger generation concerned with issues of social justice.)

Don't Say

• 把'呐喊'用于私下小声或平静的言语表达 (呐喊 specifically implies a loud, collective, or emotionally charged shout — use 低语 or 说 for quiet or private speech)

Origin & History

呐(a voiced shout, variant of 讷) + 喊(to shout). Together they form an intensified expression of loud, collective shouting; further deepened by Lu Xun's 1923 collection of the same name

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal