Definitions
(particle)
(exclamatory or interrogative particle)
Etymology phono-semantic
mouth
Semantic:
口
About
The character 哉, which retains its traditional form unchanged, originated as a specialized grammatical particle in classical Chinese, structurally composed of an abstract representation of sound or breath (口) combined with an element derived from a weapon (戈) that primarily serves a phonetic function. Its core etymological function was to act as an exclamatory or interrogative final particle, imbuing sentences with a strong tone of emotional emphasis, wonder, or rhetorical questioning, a role it held consistently throughout the literary tradition. Over centuries, while its fundamental grammatical purpose remained anchored in classical texts, its application in modern Chinese has become almost exclusively confined to fixed literary or formal expressions, proverbs, and deliberate archaisms, where it evokes a sense of classical elegance or solemn exclamation. Thus, its evolution is one not of structural simplification but of functional narrowing, transitioning from a living, flexible particle in ancient syntax to a preserved relic of classical grammar within the modern lexicon.
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！