‘努嘴’ is a verb meaning to pout—specifically, to push the lips forward outward in a rounded or protruding shape. The first character 努 (nǔ) conveys effort or exertion, while 嘴 (zuǐ) means ‘mouth’ or ‘lips’. Together, they describe the deliberate, often expressive physical action of pushing the lips forward—not just a passive lip shape, but an active gesture. It commonly signals mild displeasure, petulance, teasing, coyness, or playful resistance, especially in informal spoken Chinese.

This gesture appears frequently in everyday interactions: children may 努嘴 when denied something; lovers might 努嘴 playfully during flirtation; and actors use it to convey subtle emotional shifts. Unlike broader terms for facial expressions, 努嘴 focuses narrowly on lip movement and carries cultural connotations of innocence, charm, or light-hearted protest. It’s rarely used in formal writing but very common in dialogue, storytelling, and descriptive speech.