Definitions
(particle)
(exclamatory or interrogative particle)
Etymology phono-semantic
mouth
Semantic:
口
About
The character 哉 is a classical Chinese grammatical particle, structurally a phono-semantic compound. Its lower-left mouth radical 口 indicates a connection to speech or vocal expression. The component 𢦏 serves as the phonetic element; historically associated with a weapon or cutting tool, it no longer contributes semantic meaning to the modern character. In usage, 哉 typically appears at the end of sentences to convey strong emotion, rhetorical questions, exclamations of surprise, or praise, functioning like an emphatic punctuation mark in classical texts rather than having an independent concrete meaning.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
春天真的美丽哉！
这朵花非常香哉！
你为何独自来哉？
完成此事幸哉！
他的计划成功哉！
这风景岂不壮丽哉？
我们的努力见效哉！
人生之道，何其复杂哉！