‘嘈聒’ is an expressive, somewhat literary adjective meaning 'irritatingly noisy' or 'incessantly chattering'—often with a connotation of grating, repetitive sound that’s hard to ignore or tolerate. The first character 嘈 (cáo) evokes loud, chaotic noise (like crowds or clanging), while 聒 (guō) emphasizes persistent, ear-piercing chatter (originally linked to cicadas and other noisy insects). Together, they intensify each other, creating a vivid image of relentless auditory intrusion.

This word is frequently used to describe natural sounds—especially the shrill, unceasing calls of summer insects like cicadas or crickets—but can also apply metaphorically to people who talk incessantly without pause or sensitivity. It carries a mild negative tone, suggesting annoyance rather than mere loudness, and appears more often in descriptive writing or classical-influenced speech than in casual conversation.