Definition
As an interjection, 呃 (è) is used to express hesitation, doubt, or to fill a pause while thinking, similar to English 'uh' or 'um'. It often appears at the start or in the middle of a sentence, signaling that the speaker is searching for words or considering a response. Note: 呃 also has a separate meaning of 'to hiccup', but that is a different word class (verb/onomatopoeia) and not covered here.
interjection
uhum (used to indicate hesitation, doubt, or a pause in speech)
Examples
- 呃，。è, ràng wǒ xiǎng xiǎng zhège wèntí.Uh, let me think about this question.
- 呃，，。è, nǐ shuō de duì, dànshì hái yǒu yì diǎn xūyào kǎolǜ.Um, you're right, but there's one more thing to consider.
- 呃，……。è, zhège…… wǒ yě bú tài quèdìng.Uh, this… I'm not too sure either.
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