shh

Shh is an onomatopoeic interjection used to request silence or quiet. It is commonly written as shh or shhh and is widely understood in English and many other languages as a cue to stop speaking or to lower noise. The interjection is often accompanied by the shushing gesture, which involves placing a finger or palm over the lips.

Phonetically, the common representation corresponds to the voiceless palato-alveolar sibilant [ʃ], the same sound as English "sh" in words like "ship." The spelling "shh" serves to indicate a lengthened or whispered version of that sound, with the number of h's sometimes used to convey intensity or duration. In written form it can appear with punctuation such as exclamation marks to express urgency or with ellipses to suggest hushedness.

Usage: In everyday conversation, "shh" is used to quiet a person or group, to calm a noisy environment, or to encourage hush during performances, libraries, or classrooms. It may also appear in signs and warnings indicating a quiet zone.

See also: hush, be quiet, silencing gesture.