About
The character 呀 is structurally composed of the mouth radical 口 combined with the phonetic component 牙, a construction that directly links it to vocal expressions and suggests its pronunciation. Initially serving as an interjection to convey astonishment or to imitate sounds, its application broadened over centuries to encompass a grammatical function as a modal particle, often placed at the end of sentences to alter their tone, express inquiry, or add a sense of immediacy and emotion in colloquial speech. This transition from a word representing audible reactions to a versatile particle integral for nuanced communication demonstrates how its role adapted within the language, retaining its core association with the mouth while acquiring softer, more interactive purposes in daily conversation.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
天气真好呀！
你在干什么呀？
这个电影好看呀！
你快点来呀！
哎呀，我忘了带钥匙。
你不知道呀，他已经走了。
这难道不是你的错呀？
你要是再不来呀，我们就不等你了。