哎

āi
口 + 艾
HSK 2.0Level 5
HSK 3.0Level 5

Definitions

āi (interjection) hey!; ah!; oh!

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 艾 represents the sound.

Semantic: 口 Phonetic: 艾

About

哎 is a phono-semantic compound: the mouth radical 口 (left side) indicates a vocal utterance, while the phonetic component 艾 (ài) (right side) supplies the sound. It functions solely as an interjection, lacking a concrete noun or verb meaning. Instead, it operates as a pragmatic marker in spoken dialogue, expressing spontaneous emotions such as surprise, realization, dissatisfaction, or a sudden reminder, all shaped by intonation and context. Typically used at the beginning of a sentence, it catches attention or signals a shift in thought, directly capturing a human vocal reaction rather than conveying an abstract concept.

Example Sentences Hide

哎，你过来一下。

Āi, nǐ guòlái yīxià.

Hey, come here for a moment.

哎，我真没想到啊！

Āi, wǒ zhēn méi xiǎngdào ā!

Oh, I really didn't expect that!

哎，这件事太可惜了。

Āi, zhè jiàn shì tài kěxī le.

Alas, this matter is such a pity.

哎，你怎么不说话？

Āi, nǐ zěnme bù shuōhuà?

Hey, why aren't you talking?

哎，我又忘记带钥匙了。

Āi, wǒ yòu wàngjì dài yàoshi le.

Oh no, I forgot to bring the keys again.

哎，这次考试没考好。

Āi, zhè cì kǎoshì méi kǎo hǎo.

Alas, I didn't do well on this exam.

哎，如果你早点告诉我多好。

Āi, rúguǒ nǐ zǎo diǎn gàosù wǒ duō hǎo.

Oh, if only you had told me earlier.

哎，看到这个结果我真的很失望。

Āi, kàndào zhège jiéguǒ wǒ zhēn de hěn shīwàng.

Sigh, seeing this result, I am really disappointed.

Related Characters

Component: 口

中 和 可 后 如 同 只 知 高 问 向 或 加 合

Component: 艾

砹 餀 銰

Example Words

哎呀 哎呦 哎唷 哎哟